MARTINS FERRY, Ohio — Martins Ferry Mayor John Davies says the first closure of the city’s East Ohio Regional Hospital in 2019 was one of the main reasons he ran for mayor — and bringing it back again is at the top of his agenda now that the facility shuttered a second time on March 20, 2025.
“I ran in 2019 because the hospital closed,” Davies told River News Network. “You had it bought by a group of investors… they don’t really care about healthcare, they care about income.”
Davies said when EORH reopened in 2021, there was optimism about the hospital’s future, but hopes were dashed when the situation deteriorated again last year.
“It seemed to be going very well until the past year. Things just started falling apart and then snowballed,” he said. “The city’s done everything we can to protect the hospital.”
One of the most significant financial efforts from the city was the redirection of local income tax revenue. Martins Ferry has a 1% income tax, and the city agreed to rebate three-quarters of that back to the hospital for capital improvements. “It wasn’t to go into the owner’s pocket,” Davies stressed. “It was to go into fixing the building — chillers, generators, that kind of thing.”
When the hospital faced tax delinquency on its property, the city stepped in again. Davies personally delivered a $33,700 check from withheld income tax funds to the Belmont County Auditor to avoid foreclosure proceedings. “That payment is coming due,” he warned. “If they do not make that payment, they will foreclose on the hospital.”
Despite these efforts, the facility remains in limbo. Davies attributed part of the problem to internal mismanagement rather than the dedication of staff. “You have people still working a month after not receiving their check — still working out of dedication. That’s what I’m hoping potential buyers see.”
When asked about prospective buyers, Davies noted that negotiations have occurred, but issues remain.
The mayor also emphasized the broader impact of the closure — not just health-wise, but economically. The lack of a local emergency room now means longer transport times for stroke or heart attack victims. “How many of our citizens are going to suffer either paralysis or death because they can’t get there in time?” he asked.
On top of that, the city has seen significant revenue loss. Without the hospital’s payroll, Martins Ferry is down $50,000 to $60,000 annually in tax revenue, which could affect essential services, including police staffing.
“There’s a whole trickle-down effect,” Davies said. “Subway, McDonald’s, convenience stores — they’ve all taken a loss. It’s devastating to Martins Ferry right now.”
Still, there’s hope. The mayor said ongoing conversations with former hospital leadership and potential investors continue behind the scenes. “We’re constantly working to do what the city can to facilitate a buyer,” he said. “There’s not a whole lot we can do other than say — look at our workforce, look at the compassion our people have for patients.”
Davies said local care in Martins Ferry outshines that found in even the country’s best hospitals due to the dedication local medical workers have for their patients. “The compassion here far exceeds them,” he said.
Davies emphasized he will do all he can to have a hospital in Martins Ferry, saying, “People deserve a hospital in this community.”
