Officials with non-profit corporation Save Jennie Stuart, Inc., announced Friday they have filed suit in Christian County Circuit Court, seeking injunction to pause the transaction.
The decision to file suit was made after a careful investigation of the value of Jennie Stuart Hospital, as shown in publicly available documents and in consultation with knowledgeable financial experts.
The complaint alleges that the fair market value of Jennie Stuart is “substantial,” and the Jennie Stuart Board has “breached its fiduciary duties” to the hospital by agreeing to essentially transfer the hospital and all of its assets to Deaconess Health in Evansville with insufficient consideration coming back to the community.
The suit comes after a request from Save Jennie Stuart to mediate was declined by the Jennie Stuart Board, in a meeting held Wednesday, December 4.
Save Jennie Stuart hopes the medical and financial needs of Hopkinsville and Christian County could be served through negotiation after the litigation.
Save Jennie Stuart is comprised of a large group of local concerned citizens which includes numerous former members of the Jennie Stuart Governing Board of Trustees, including five former board chairs, a majority of the members of the Jennie Stuart Foundation Board, two former Hopkinsville mayors and the county judge-executive.
According to Friday’s release, these individuals have given many years of service to Jennie Stuart Medical Center and the sole reasons for the existence of the group are (1) the continuing goal of providing excellent medical care in serving patients, (2) providing excellent resources to physicians and other providers and (3) providing the most financial benefits available to the people Hopkinsville and Christian County.
Theresa Nichol is president. Dan Kemp is vice president. Darrell Gustafson is secretary-treasurer.
