The International Falls City Council will invite officials with Borderland’s hospital and Essentia Health to meet with the council and answer questions about the hospital’s future.

Mayor Tim “Chopper” McBride Monday asked the council to invite to the meeting Bob Haley, director of Rainy Lake Medical Center hospital campus; Charles Helleloid, hospital board chairman; and Dan Nikcevich, Essentia Health president and chief medical officer, East Region.

Councilor Gail Rognerud, who represents the city on the hospital board, abstained from the vote to invite the hospital officials. She said as a board member she has agreed to keep confidential hospital business.

“I’m not allowed to share information,” said Rognerud Monday.

McBride said he’s had nearly 100 phone calls from city residents concerned about health care in the community.

“We’re not asking them to divulge any process, but (tell us) where they are going,” McBride told The Journal Tuesday. “What does Essentia offer?”

McBride said the intent of the meeting is to get information about the hospital and its direction.

“We’re not going to grill and we’re not in negotiation or arbitration, but when I get 100 phone calls, it means I’ve got to act and in acting I would like to be able to get some information.”

A hospital, said McBride, plays a critical role and is among the top two needs of a viable community, he said.

Bob Haley, interim CEO, said Tuesday that hospital officials “welcome an opportunity to meet with the city council and explain in further detail the future of health care in International Falls.”

Haley said at a recent board meeting came “a recommendation from the I Falls side of the board to not integrate (with Essentia) at this time. The full board recommended that Charles Helleloid, chairman of the board, Sue Congrave, vice chairman, plus myself meet with Dr. Dan Nikcevich.”

He said this past Friday Congrave and Helleloid met with Nikcevich “and that meeting was successful. I am driving to Duluth this week to have a meeting with Dr. Nikcevich on Thursday to talk about the progress of moving forward with the hospital and Essentia. At this point, we’re not sure what it means until we have our discussions with Essentia.”

Meanwhile Monday, other councilors said they, too, had received calls from residents about the issue. And, they noted, they have heard similar concerns from other elected officials and community leaders.

Councilor Paul Eklund said he’s heard from several concerned residents with questions about the hospital’s future.

“The community needs to know what is happening with the hospital and what the future holds,” said Eklund.

City Administrator Rod Otterness said the council recently earmarked $225,000 toward infrastructure improvements at the planned new location of the hospital along Keenan Drive. The city has also pledged wetland credits and other assistance valued at about $45,000 to the hospital’s planned relocation, he said.

“Taxpayers are investing a boat load of money into the new hospital,” said Otterness Monday.

Jerry Franzen, who was Monday appointed to fill out the at-large council position vacated when McBride became mayor, agreed more information is needed.

“There are things that can be said and things that can’t be said, but when you say nothing at all, the public gets suspicious,” said Franzen. “I applaud the council in trying to get the information. The hospital is a big part of economic development.”

Rognerud agreed that there is a lack of information available to the community about the hospital’s direction.

“I know there are tons of rumors out there,” she said.