To my friends of the Fairfield School District—
I write this letter to ask you not to sign the petition for a Freestone Medical Center rollback election. In May 2019 an election was held to raise the hospital tax district cap and it was overwhelming passed by the voters. Another election would cost us as taxpayers. Just to bring a better perspective to our community, in the 1990’s we began fighting against the closure of the hospital. My father, Dr. John H. Keller, was instrumental in establishing a hospital taxing district. At the newly requested tax rate of $0.215 our district still remains below the overall State of Texas hospital district tax rate of $0.26.
Our community was devastated by the closure of the Big Brown plant and mine. Those employees including myself were forced to retire, find other local jobs or move from Fairfield. Our city wants to bring new businesses to Fairfield but without our hospital we lose a tremendous selling point. We have a good hospital and clinic. Many lives have been saved in our facility. Believe me I have seen this over my entire life. My family members along with my friend’s and neighbor’s families have been treated with care and compassion. Whether it’s stitches in your son’s leg, his concussion during a Friday night football game, glass being picked from your dad’s head after a fall or readying your mother for flight to Tyler during the golden hour(period of time following a traumatic injury where prompt medical treatment is required to prevent death) I myself have lived each of these moments.
For a few extra dollars per year our entire community and surrounding areas can have the comfort knowing our hospital is here for them twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It could be someone that is very dear to you or your friends whose life is saved. Please join me in keeping our hospital open.
Sincerely from my heart,
Susan Keller Myers
Fairfield, Texas
If you wish to sign an affidavit to have your name removed from the petition please call 903-389-1612.
