West Carthage Mayor Speaks Out Against VA Clinic Move

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Story Published: Nov 19, 2009 at 4:45 PM EDT

Story Updated: Nov 19, 2009 at 4:45 PM EDT

The mayor of West Carthage is speaking out about Wednesday's shocking news that the VA clinic will be moved out of the village.
 
Carthage Area Hospital housed the VA clinic since 2003, but learned this week that its contract isn't being renewed. 

Instead, a company out of Washington, D.C. will relocate the clinic to Watertown. 

Hospital Administrator Walter Becker didn't expect the news and neither did Mayor Scott Burto. 

Burto says the community invested money to house the VA clinic in a converted grocery store and he doesn't like that the VA is just going to pull out of West Carthage.  

Now, he's contacting leaders like Congressman Bill Owens to see if anything can be done.

"I just want to reach out to the other elected officials locally and ask them what their concerns are and if there's anything we can do to try to keep this facility open in Carthage," said Burto.

A news conference will be held Friday morning in Watertown where the VA will announce more details about the move.

See our earlier report about the clinic's relocation

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