A former member of the Northern Arizona Healthcare Board of Directors is not being truthful about his support of the new hospital project which appears on the ballot for voters in the city of Flagstaff.
Mike Martinell is campaigning against NAH’s plans to build a new hospital in Flagstaff. He was on the NAH Board of Directors from October, 2019, until May, 2023. During his voluntary service, Martinell and the other members of the Board of Directors approved the project in 15 separate, unanimous votes in which they supported the entire project or specific elements of the project, such as its financing plan. This included specific approval to build at a new greenfield site after reviewing the outcome of detailed work that led to NAH ruling out development on the current site.
Martinell was on the Board’s Finance Committee, and served one year as chair of that Committee. During his time on the Board and the Finance Committee, NAH conducted an analysis of a 2018 strategic plan, which the Board reviewed on 3/19/20, with Martinell present. The detailed analysis of the broad and undetailed strategic plan showed expanding FMC in its current location was not feasible. Based on that analysis, the Board, including Martinell, voted unanimously to move forward with building a new hospital on the undeveloped land NAH owns. The Board decided this was the best way to preserve NAH’s ability to serve the region for the next several decades.
As a member and chair of the NAH Board’s Finance Committee, Martinell was regularly provided information about and voted to approve elements of a financial plan to pay for the new hospital, including the reasons the new construction was justified and necessary. At no time during his voluntary service on the Board of Directors did he vote against the project or any portion of the project, nor did he state any opposition to the plans.
Martinell abruptly resigned from the NAH Board of Directors on May 19, 2023, after a contentious Board meeting unrelated to the new hospital project. He came forward as a vocal opponent to the hospital after the hospital land rezoning was referred to the ballot for Flagstaff voters.
NAH is disappointed that Martinell has chosen to exercise a personal vendetta against NAH after being an ardent supporter of the plans for a new hospital.
NAH calls on Martinell to: be honest about FMC occupancy rates; urge the No on Prop. 480 campaign to stop claiming health care costs will increase as a result of construction, because Martinell knows NAH does not set the cost of care; be forthright with the public that he voted in support of this project 15 times during the course of his 3.5 years on the NAH Board of Directors; and settle any personal grudges he has with current NAH Board members in a more private, honest and respectful manner.