A lawsuit against the state of Michigan, filed in Nov. 2019 by Southfield-based Beaumont Health, was dismissed in a Court of Claims on Jan. 14.
According to Beaumont, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) initially expressed a need for a facility in northern Oakland County, citing a 117-bed shortage. However, MDHHS then denied Beaumont’s application to move forward with a new facility in Oxford, saying the population did not justify building the proposed medical complex.
Judge Christopher M. Murray, who has served on the bench since 2002, provided his rationale for ruling in favor of the MDHHS.
“In light of this available administrative procedure, exhaustion of administrative remedies is required before a litigant may seek judicial review,” he explained.
To put it in more common terms, Beaumont must explore all other options before bringing this issue before a court. Per the original need, Beaumont would like to construct their complex in two-phases: a 100,000-square-foot ambulatory building as phase one; followed by a 225,000-square-foot hospital as the second phase.
Aiming for a target opening date of late-2021-early-2022, it appeared to be clear skies ahead when the Planning Commission, headed by Commissioner Michael Young, recommended, 7-0, to approve this proposal to the Oxford Township Board of Trustees.
The board, however, sent it back to the Planning Commission, wanting more specifics about the number of stories, square footage of signage and parking.
Beaumont is required to receive a Certificate of Need (CON) from the state of Michigan in order to build the facility, so this is an ongoing process. In the meantime, the medical group has filed an administrative appeal to MDHHS to reverse their ruling and grant their CON. This appeal remains pending.
The township’s next meeting, open to the public, is Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the township meeting room, located at 300 Dunlap Rd.