Council Accused Of Lack Of Transparency In Proposed Morristown Medical Center Expansion

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morristown community once again spoke out at this week's town council meeting, expressing confusion and concern over the potential expansion of Morristown Medical Center.

Plans for a prospective expansion proposal for the local hospital were first brought to light last month, sparking accusations from residents that the town was choosing to keep the community in the dark about this project.

According to the town council, no official plan or application has been submitted, but the local medical center has discussed a potential large expansion on and surrounding its campus with the town.

The majority of individuals who spoke out at the public hearing on Tuesday night were concerned about the expansion, which would directly affect the residents of Parsons Village, a townhouse community across the street from the hospital.

• Read more: Possible Expansion Of Morristown Medical Center Spurs Public Concern

Frustrations about the project only grew even more tense after Council President Sandi Mayer noted that she and Councilman Nathan Umbriac were excluded from discussions about the proposal due to their proximity to the proposed site plan.

"I'm very disturbed that there were people eliminated from talking about it. Why would anyone be opposed to talking about it and including everyone who should be there? They are giving up their time to be on the council; they should be allowed to attend these meetings," resident Roberta Montemurno said.

Morristown Attorney David Minchello previously said that Mayer and Umbriac were removed from the discussions after it was noted that they would have a conflict of interest if they attended the meetings.

"I provided my legal advice to the affected members. What those members do with that and whether they choose to follow my advice and adhere to the law or not is their decision," Minchello said.

On Tuesday, Mayer told the public that she misunderstood Minchello's position and misinterpreted his comments to mean that she was not permitted to participate, rather than him making a suggestion.

However, since the Sept. 16 town council meeting, Mayer said that she has attempted to contact the attorney representing the hospital but that they have said that they are "not interested" in meeting with her to discuss any potential plans.

"I was discriminated against; I was left out of the process unnecessarily, for no reason," Mayer said.

In a statement to the public, Mayor Tim Dougherty said that there has been only one meeting between Atlantic Health System, the parent company of Morristown Medical Center, and the town.

"The hospital, if they have purchased the properties, has the right to invite the mayor and the council and say, 'Hey, this is some of our ideas.' We didn't even have a second meeting to talk about what we thought and what we saw," Dougherty said.

Dougherty assured the public that there was no deal or promise made to Morristown Medical Center about a future project.

"They have a vision. That's their vision. It's a process, and since I've been mayor, that has always been part of the process. Parsons Village will be part of the process. Convent Mews will be part of the process when and if they come forward with ideas of what they want to do," Dougherty said.

The mayor asserted that nothing has and will be done behind closed doors.

"It will go in front of the public for input; it'll go in front of the council for input; and because two council members were excluded by the advice of the council, I don't disagree with the counselors' advice. There is no laid-out plan, no site plans filed," Dougherty said.

Earlier this year, Atlantic Health System, the parent company of Morristown Medical Center, confirmed the purchase of one of the town’s most desirable downtown properties.

The property in question is an acre on South Street, just adjacent to the Vail Mansion.

The horseshoe-shaped site was approved for 29 premium apartments and ground-floor retail space in early 2022. The recent sale of the property, though, may have put an end to that.

According to Karen Zatorski, an Atlantic spokesman, the corporation has completed the acquisition but is not willing to divulge the new use of the property.

"Nothing gets done unless it's in the public," Dougherty said.