UPDATED WITH BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The City is looking into the price tag to sell its portion of Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare to Florida State as its new partnership takes another step forward.
The first of two public hearings about the new Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare and Florida State University lasted 3 and a half hours.
With all voices at the table in favor of an Academic Medical Center between TMH and FSU.
Benefits of the center including retention of talent, improved accessibility to healthcare resources, and enhanced innovation with treatment.
One big topic raised, the price of which the City will sell their portion of TMH to FSU.
"Financially there's a lot of information that we generally have available to us, Public documents and information like that," said City Manager Reese Goad. "But the value of a hospital is complex as one might imagine."
A motion passed in a 3 to 2 vote for the City Manager Reese Goad to enter into discussions with FSU to determine a price.
Howeverm some Commissioners and community members say they still have more questions.
Commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter, and community members, like Joe Kalicki, were seeking an appraisal of the assets by a 3rd party.
"So I wish it would have passed," said Kalicki. "I think it was irresponsible not to pass that."
While Kalicki said he's in favor of an academic health center, he's concerned about the lack of specificity. He wants to see a roadmap of the impact this decision will have on the community.
"I think we need many more sessions, describe the plans, allow for feedback," said Kalicki. "Again, [this] is not something in most communities with most academic medical centers, the way they get developed is not quick and this should not be quick."
Mayor Pro Tem Dianne Williams-Cox raised the idea of going out into the community to seek feedback.
Kalicki said he wants more public forums for people to share their thoughts.
"So make this more publicly accessible and have many more sessions to really allow the community to understand," said Kalicki. "I would probably support something like a public referendum."
A couple of other community members in public comment shared their support of a ballot referendum. Mayor Pro Tem Williams Cox said next November is too late, especially with the legislative session being in January. The second public meeting will be held on October 22 at 6pm.
UPDATE:
Following nearly three and a half hours of discussion, city commissioners voted to pass a motion to negotiate a price tag with Florida State for the value of Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare.
The motion passed 3 to 2.
This was one of two public hearings about the new partnership between FSU and TMH.
Original:
The City of Tallahassee Commission is set to discuss the new TMH-FSU partnership that will take away the City's role in decisions about the hospital and put them on Florida State University.
The meeting on Wednesday is the first of two public hearings.
The meetings come after lengthy discussions for months about who will own Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, when the City of Tallahassee decided to look at options other than selling the hospital's buildings and assets.
After months of deliberation, TMH and FSU brought a new deal to the table where the City would transfer the ownership of TMH to FSU, to be rebranded under FSU Health.
WATCH MEETING BELOW:
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