FAIRMONT– The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28 in the large conference room at Mayo Clinic Health System-Fairmont. The hearing is regarding the facility’s closure of surgical, labor and delivery and pediatric care units.

Garry Bowman, communications coordinator for MDH, explained that any provider in the state that makes a large change to services is required to hold a hearing in partnership with MDH as per state statute. The Minnesota legislature passed that law in June of 2021 and Bowman said this will actually be the first public hearing MDH has had in Fairmont and the first in-person public hearing MDH has had since the law went into effect.

“The purpose is to inform the public and let them know of the change and if they need these services, how to acquire them and where,” Bowman said. “Their (Mayo) requirement is to inform the department of health and then it’s our requirement to host the hearing,” Bowman added.

Bowman stressed that the department of health does not hold the power to stall or reverse a change that has been made but is just serving as a vehicle to inform the community.

Amanda Dyslin, senior communications specialist for Mayo Clinic Health System, said that Mayo will have several members of the leadership team present including Dr. Prathibha Varkey, president of Mayo Clinic Health System and Dr. James Hebl, regional vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System.

“It’s MDH’s meeting, but we’ll be answering questions and presenting information,” Dyslin said.

Many people in the community have asked questions or voiced concerns since Mayo made the official announcement of the closures on Sept. 30. The city of Fairmont also put out a statement regarding the announcement on its social media page which said it is “disappointed and concerned” about the discontinuation of services and the negative impact it will have on the community.

However, as MDH has planned the public hearing, not the city of Fairmont, there is a time conflict with Monday’s meeting as the Fairmont City Council is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28 as well.

City Administrator Matt Skaret explained that the city cannot easily change the date or time of its meeting because there are two public hearing scheduled, one on the 2024 improvement program and one on the assessment of unpaid and delinquent city service charges.

“The special assessment hearings are oftentimes well-attended,” Skaret said, noting that about 300 households affected received notices about it.

“We don’t want to cut anyone off (while they’re speaking),” Skaret said. “We want to be in both places, too.”

The Fairmont City Council agenda, which came out on Thursday evening, includes an aestrik under approval of agenda that reads “Council may decide to move forward to Agenda Item 7: Public Hearings, in an effort to attend the Mayo Clinic Health System: Fairmont Public Forum on the Closure of Services (labor/delivery and surgical services).”

It will be determined at the start of the council meeting on Monday whether the council makes that decision.

Those who cannot attend MDH’s public hearing in person on Monday, but still want to hear the information, can dial in and attend remotely. The number is 651-395-7448, access code 889 342 863 #.

More information can also be found on MDH’s website at www.health.state.mn.us.