“We have to have a hospital here in Long Beach, it’s just as important as the boardwalk,” said Sol Gold. “We have to get more help. I hope the governor has the wisdom to get involved.”

City officials said that they have been advocating for the return of emergency services to the barrier island.

“The frustrating part is … the hospital is a private entity,” said City Council President Scott Mandel. “To the extent that the city is able to intervene, we’ve been in communication with the governor’s office, we’ve been acting in some aspects as a mediator between the Board of Trustees and the state Health Department, and we even wrote a letter on the city’s behalf to the Department of Health advocating for the return of services in Long Beach. We’re just as frustrated by the process, we’re hoping there’s a resolution and we’re going to continue advocating strongly.”

The city’s corporation counsel, Corey Klein, said that he was in attendance at the meeting between LBMC and state officials, to advocate for the hospital on behalf of the city.

“Everybody in that room, all the people from Albany, understood the importance of us in Long Beach having a hospital,” Klein said.