Christian Circuit Court Judge Andrew Self has ordered the Jennie Stuart Health Board to delay signing an agreement with Deaconess Health until March 31st and add two members to the subcommittee brokering the deal.
According to Hoptown Chronicle Judge Self announced an agreement had been reached following a three-hour closed-door meeting Friday morning. Jennie Stuart Health was set to sign the agreement that would allow Deaconess Health of Evansville to acquire Jennie Stuart Health earlier this month. The hearing Friday morning was scheduled after the Save Jennie Stuart group filed a lawsuit opposing Jennie Stuart Medical Center’s acquisition by Deaconess.
Judge Self met privately with individuals and attorneys involved in the legal matter for nearly three hours. Hoptown Chronicle reports at the end of the meeting Judge Self announced an agreement had been reached between all parties involved. He said the pending claims in the current lawsuit and the pending litigation will be dismissed. Judge Self was quoted as saying “The court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement that is going to be entered into by and between the parties”. Judge Self said “Jennie Stuart Medical Center’s board of directors will extend it’s due dilligence period with regard to the proposed transaction with Deaconess until March 31, 2025, and will not vote on the transaction before March 31.”
Judge Self also said the full board may extend the letter of intent with Deaconess during that time. He ordered that two additional people be added to the subcommittee negotiating the deal between Jennie Stuart and Deaconess that includes Board Chair Leslie Carroll, Hollis White, Betsy Shelton, and Marty Bozarth. The new subcommittee members will be Carter Hendricks and Charles Turner.
And Judge Self said the Jennie Stuart Medical Center Board will actively pursue securing and preserving the independence of the Jennie Stuart Medical Center Foundation.
The Jennie Stuart Board of Directors announced in late September that it had signed a letter of intent to join Deaconess. The board also said a change in ownership of the hospital had been under review for several months before it became public. After the community learned of the potential acquisition by Deaconess board member Joseph Sisk was asked to resign from the board of directors due to what some board members called a potential conflict of interest.
Save Jennie Stuart estimates Jennie Stuart has an estimated value exceeding $157 million dollars. The group was also critical of the hospital board’s decision to allow a four-person subcommittee to handle the details of the potential sale of Jennie Stuart to Deaconess.
