Brooks-TLC, which is aiming to build a $70 million state-of-the-art facility, planned the event with the urging of former state Sen. Catharine Young. Besides Mary E. LaRowe, president and chief executive officer at Brooks-TLC, Chris Lanski, current hospital board chair, and Dan Pacos, Pomfret town supervisor, spoke at the 30-minute session.

During her time as state senator, Young helped secure the funding for a potential new hospital and called on those in attendance to reach out to Gov. Kathy Hochul to release the funds so the project can begin. “We’re not the only one that is suffering here at Brooks,” she said. “When you look at rural health care across the state, across the country, it’s on life support right now. Don’t we deserve better than that? Don’t we deserve to have health care in our communities?”

Pacos, however, made the most significant plea of all the speakers noting the importance of having a community hospital. “The current facility is outdated and is causing the organization to bleed red ink,” he said. “We need to fix that. We need our hospital.”

Brooks-TLC, over the past five years, has run deficits of more than $45 million putting it on the brink of insolvency.

Former state Sen. Catharine Young told residents about the importance of local health care.

While Pacos, current Fredonia village Trustees Jim Lynden and Michelle Twichell and County Legislator Kevin Muldowney attended the event, those who did not were even more noticeable. State Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Goodell did not attend while County Executive PJ Wendel, who was committed to attending on Thursday afternoon, changed his plans. Also not at the Clarion was current Fredonia Mayor Doug Essek.

Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas was outside the facility following the rally. He wants reassurances for the current Brooks property that stretches from Sixth to Fifth Streets on Central Avenue if the institution does move.

“We want the state to help us repurpose that site,” he said, noting low-income city residents will be hurt by facility’s potential move to Fredonia.

“Without any form of public transportation here, that is going to create an issue,” Rosas said.

About 20 people outside the hotel called for Brooks-TLC to keep the hospital in Dunkirk.

A crowd of 125 people filled the Clarion Hotel on Saturday morning for a Brooks-TLC health-care rally. P-J photos