With the clock ticking toward the April 1 closing of St. Andrews emergency room and hospital wing, the four-town task force made a plea for additional funds to keep the effort afloat. 

“It’s going to cost money to save St. Andrews. If we run out of cash, it will die on the vine,” Southport Selectman Smith Climo said. 

Town Manager Jim Chaousis said the task force has raised $4,210 as of September 11 and has expended $3,500 on legal fees. A fundraising leader is being sought and Boothbay and Edgecomb selectmen are considering whether to appropriate town funds to keep the task force going.

The regular Tuesday night task force meeting drew about 50 citizens, an increase over the previous week, and was marked by frequent public comment and applause. Many topics discussed at previous meetings, such as ownership of St. Andrews, composition of its board, hospital management and governance, were revisited.

Representative Bruce MacDonald said a small group of volunteers is exploring the possibility of “transitioning” St. Andrews into a community hospital form of governance, similar to the Mayo Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft. 

Tom Tavenner asked if the current owners would cooperate with this effort. MacDonald said he did not know. Tavenner asked if MacDonald thought two hospitals could co-exist on the peninsula. MacDonald said that was not a viable option. “It will be either a friendly transition or a huge uphill fight,” he said.

Peggy Powis has taken on the task of coordinating volunteers with her usual vigor. A communication center has been set up in Boothbay Town Office and will be staffed by volunteers on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. Information on work groups, specific issues, volunteers, press clippings, Channel 7 meeting videos and questions being addressed by work groups can be found at the communication center.

The task force meets each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Boothbay Town Office.