Mayor Butch Berry and Eureka Springs City Council Members
City Hall
44 S. Main St.
Eureka Springs, AR 72632

Dear Mayor Berry and Esteemed Council Members,

We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the current state of affairs at the Eureka Springs Hospital and the detrimental actions of the Eureka Springs Hospital Commission. It has become increasingly evident that the current commission is unfit to fulfill its mandate, and I urge you to dissolve and replace the commission immediately.

The decisions made by the current hospital commission have created a toxic and hostile work environment that jeopardizes both the well-being of hospital staff and the quality of care provided to the citizens of Eureka Springs. Most troubling are the wrongful terminations of key personnel, including the former CEO Angie Shaw and Chief Nursing Officer Jessica Petrino. These actions have severely undermined the hospital’s ability to operate safely and effectively, leaving staff without essential leadership and endangering patients’ lives.

The commission’s focus on self-serving priorities, such as writing bios to justify their positions, while the hospital’s staffing and operational stability deteriorate, highlights a disturbing lack of accountability and competence. Instead of addressing the urgent need to stabilize the workforce and restore trust among employees, the commission has engaged in retaliatory behaviors, further eroding morale.

The recent revelations regarding potential collusion between the acting CEO, CFO, and certain commissioners are particularly troubling. The use of hospital resources to hire an external attorney to investigate internal issues and draft a development plan for the state highlights their inability to manage the hospital effectively. This expense could have been avoided had the commission retained the skilled staff members who were wrongfully terminated or driven away—individuals who had the expertise to address these challenges in-house.

The commission has failed to uphold the integrity, transparency, and leadership necessary to guide the hospital through this crisis. Their actions and inactions have led to:

Violations of Employee and Patient Rights: Allegations of illegal activity, including HIPAA violations and breaches of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, are deeply concerning and expose the city to potential legal liabilities.
Endangerment of Patient Safety: The dismissal of critical staff and failure to address operational deficiencies have jeopardized the safety of patients and staff alike.
Toxic Leadership: A culture of intimidation, retaliation, and harassment has alienated dedicated employees and destabilized the hospital environment.
Given these failures, We respectfully request the following actions:

The immediate dissolution of the current Eureka Springs Hospital Commission.
The appointment of a new commission comprised of individuals with demonstrated expertise in healthcare administration, community engagement, and ethical leadership.
An independent investigation into the wrongful terminations, allegations of collusion, and violations of state and federal laws.
A public commitment to prioritize patient safety, employee well-being, and community trust in the hospital’s operations.
Eureka Springs deserves a hospital commission that is competent, ethical, and dedicated to the health and safety of its citizens. The current commission has proven incapable of fulfilling this responsibility, and decisive action is necessary to restore faith in the hospital’s leadership and future.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to seeing swift and meaningful action to address these concerns.

Sincerely,
Eureka Springs Citizens