HERMANN – The top administrator at Hermann Area District Hospital says he is keeping close watch on state legislation that he fears would have a costly impact on small, rural hospitals.

Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Bill Hellebusch on Feb. 23 told the hospital’s Board of Directors that state legislation calling for a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy be present in hospitals’ emergency rooms 24 hours a day would work a financial hardship on financially pressed facilities such as Hermann Area District Hospital (HADH).

“It would be really, really difficult for a hospital like ours,” he said.

And, he noted, if that legislation succeeds, the task of around-the-clock staffing of the local ER by a doctor will be made that much complicated if voters adopt a property tax-relief proposal on the April 7 ballot. Known as Senate Bill 3, that measure, signed into law last year by Gov. Mike Kehoe, essentially would freeze homeowners’ property tax bills on their primary residences at the amount paid in 2024. While the law was approved by the Missouri General Assembly and signed by the governor, it is to be implemented on a county-by-county basis with the April 7 vote mandated by the state.

An estimate of the proposal’s impact on local property tax revenue shows all public agencies that levies a property tax would see a loss of money. Hard hit especially would be public school districts and other large agencies such as HADH and Scenic Regional Library District.

Hellelbusch said he understands how voters would be supportive of the property tax proposal, but he hopes they understand the financial impact it would have on publicly funded agencies.

“I’m not holding my breath that this comes out in our favor,” he told the board members at their regular monthly session.

If approved, the property tax freeze would take place as Hellebusch and the hospital’s leadership team are taking steps to turn around the financial fortunes of the facility.

“It would definitely have an impact on us here,” he said.

So, too, does the weather affect the hospital’s financial health. Like last year, this January was a tough month for producing revenue, he said.

“January was a challenging month,” Hellebusch said, citing bouts of bad weather that kept people away. The same thing happened at the start of 2025, he added, pointing to two weather events that included ice.

However, the $2.29 million of revenue generated this January was about $3,000 more than was generated during January of 2025, financial figures show.

Also, the administrator told the directors, HADH missed out on receiving a share of federal dollars being distributed through the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program because HADH’s story about its efforts to overcome financial hurdles simply was too positive. The hospital did finish among the Top 10 hospitals applying for one of the three grants being awarded.

“We sort of undersold the financial need here,” he said.

That puzzled at least one director. “So, they wanted you to submit a grimmer financial picture?” asked Trig Render.

“Yes,” replied Hellebusch.

Meanwhile, HADH is scheduled Friday to join officials of the Gasconade County R-1 School District, Hermann Area Chamber of Commerce and the Jack Charles Schneider Foundation for a meeting of the East Central College Workforce Development Program. Melissa Lensing, the Chamber’s executive director and a member of the hospital board, said she is anxious to see what the continued discussions with ECC officials might lead to.

“I do think ECC sees that regional growth is happening here,” she said. “We’re going to get to the table and open it up and see where it goes.”