Kane County neutral on Centegra plan

A Kane County committee said Tuesday it doesn't want to tell residents which hospitals to go to or private businesses where they should construct hospitals.

That view resulted in the county taking no position on Centegra Health System's plan to construct a $233 million hospital in Huntley. Centegra, Sherman Hospital and Provena St. Joseph all asked the county to weigh-in on the plan as the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board deliberates the new hospital. Centegra officials believe its facility would complement Sherman and St. Joseph. But representatives of the two Elgin hospitals say there are already empty hospital beds in the area, and a new hospital would only result in job cuts at the existing facilities.

Members of Kane County's Public Health Committee said Tuesday the state panel is in a much better position to figure out if the new Centegra hospital is a good idea.

“Hospitals are one of the high growth industries in Illinois,” county board member Phil Lewis said. “They have good jobs. So I'm a little concerned about us taking positions where we discourage one of these growth industries. I believe in free business and free enterprise. So I wonder why we would take a position in the first place.”

The committee said it supports Sherman and St. Joseph as local hospitals, but if the state panel supports the Centegra plan it will be for a good reason.

“If they get the OK by the state, that means that there is a need for that hospital,” county board member Melisa Taylor said. “If they support it, then so be it.”

When the idea of taking a position first came to the county board earlier this month it was in the form of a resolution opposing the Centegra expansion. On Tuesday, the committee left the debate without any official vote to remain neutral.

The state panel will rule on the plan May 10.