Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,
Mayo is flaunting their success reflected in Becker’s Healthcare report in having two of the eight Minnesota hospitals that recently received five-star (top) ratings from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). One of these is Mayo Clinic Health System-Albert Lea.
Instead of rewarding Albert Lea’s hospital’s efforts in achieving this distinction, Mayo has removed ICU services from Albert Lea to Austin, Minn., without any prior discussion. Mayo’s future plan is to remove inpatient surgery, med/surge and Baby Place. We are sad to see that that Mayo has no regard for us and leaves us vulnerable without a full service, acute care hospital in Albert Lea, Minn.
So, for those in other areas that wish for the honor of having Mayo to be your local hospital, be wary, they are great at what they are known for (I doctor there for specialist services), but they do not belong in Rural Health Care. I feel so bad for the Mayo legacy, as this is not what the Mayo brothers intended.
I think of a quote from Warren Buffett, “It takes at least 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” I hope that Mayo will once again honor its value that “the best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered,” before it’s too late to salvage its reputation.
To learn more about the Save Our Hospital efforts in Albert Lea, send an email with your name in the subject line to sohinalbertlea@gmail.com. We have open meetings on the first and third Sunday of each month at 6 p.m. at the American Legion in Albert Lea (except for Super Bowl Sunday)
A wider endeavor that includes communities affected by the Mayo monopoly is the Rural Healthcare Coalition which can be contacted at ruralhealthcarecoalition@gmail.com.
We continue to fight for our rights in our community and to preserve our legacy. Please join our cause. This is so important to us as individuals, to retain our history and for the future of our communities.
Merilynn (Mimi) Linde
Albert Lea, Minn.

Dear Editor,
It’s that time of year again, when county supervisors must pass the Master Matrix—a scoring system that supposedly holds factory farms to higher standards. Every January, each county must re-adopt the Master Matrix in order to recommend denial of factory farms.
We know the Master Matrix is far from perfect. But for now, it’s the only tool we have.
What we really need in Iowa is true local control and a moratorium. We won’t get there, though, unless we all step up to the plate—including our supervisors.
Every day, Iowans have been contacting their elected officials for years, asking for more protections from factory farms—but those calls have gone unheeded. Now, it’s time for our supervisors to join the chorus. In addition to re-adopting the Master Matrix, they should also call on the legislature to rein in the factory farm industry. Twenty counties have already taken this important step, either by writing letters or passing resolutions.
Call your supervisors today. Ask them to pass the Master Matrix (if they haven’t already) and ask them to demand more protections from factory farms. We’re counting on supervisors to stand up for our air, water, and health.
Jan McGinnis
Iowa CCI Member
Marshalltown, Iowa