When Dickinson County Healthcare System met earlier this year in an open meeting at Bay College West in Iron Mountain to discuss the possibility of unloading debt-ridden DCHS to Bellin Health Systems of Green Bay, Wis., there was an atmosphere of sheer grandiose giddiness resonating from DCHS hospital officials with pie-eyed dollar signs.

You could deduce from that meeting who stood to gain and lose the most from that controversial sale. Retiring nurses and others who worked at DCHS for decades conveyed a real sense of dread about losing their pensions when DCHS was sold to BHS but that fell on deaf ears.

The front-page Daily News article Friday titled “UP Health would want tax break” states, “During the June 15 closed session, Edberg reported that DCHS CEO-Administration John Schon had retired and taken a pay-out but was still working full-time.”

I wonder if those concerned DCHS employees whom are worried about losing their pensions will be able to retire and continue working at their highest pay rates like cut-and-run John Schon?

And, what other DCHS officials are going to take advantage of their position(s) and have their hand in the till until all available capital at DCHS is gone?

The Dickinson County Board and DCHS board members need to step aside and hire trained professionals to take over the operations of DCHS until there is a sales transaction, thereby eliminating the hierarchy at DCHS like John Schon and others from draining all the available assets until DCHS becomes a white elephant and completely valueless.