Surry County commissioners declared their intent on Oct. 20 to enter into an agreement with Novant Health for the sale of Northern Regional Hospital, following a public hearing that featured hospital leaders, physicians, county officials and residents.

The board adopted a resolution saying Novant’s proposal includes a $137,000,000 investment in the hospital and community, pledges to maintain core services for a minimum period, and would provide funds to retire outstanding bond debt. The resolution says the sale is subject to due diligence and mutually agreeable transaction documents and directs Northern Regional to negotiate exclusively with Novant Health.

Northern Regional’s interim president and CEO, Robin Hodgen, told commissioners she supports the sale and described it as a step to “remain a cornerstone of care, a driver of economic development, and a source of pride for our region,” and said Novant had pledged investments in facilities, services and staff. David Shockley, chairman of Northern Regional’s board, and other trustees and local health leaders also spoke in favor of the transaction, saying the hospital’s long-term sustainability required a partner.

Novant Health representatives, including Alicia Hutchins, identified themselves and described Novant’s regional presence and prior collaborations. Hutchins said Novant would “preserve your history” and invest in services and in local team members.

Not all speakers were uniformly positive. Residents and local health-care workers questioned the length and limits of Novant’s commitments. Joseph Silesik, who lives “in the path of the helicopter landing zone,” asked what protections the community would have after a 10-year commitment ends and sought details on service lines, residency programs, outpatient surgical capacity, and governance over time. Shirley Brinkley, a former city commissioner and longtime patient at Northern Regional, said she feared the hospital could be “lost in the brush” inside a larger system and urged the commissioners to ensure protections for local physicians and services.

Attorney Tom Waldrip, who advised the hospital district and county during the process, said a 10-year commitment is unusually long for a buyer and called Novant’s $137,000,000 investment “a commitment, not just for the 10 years, but beyond.” Deputy county attorney Howard Jones and other legal counsel explained the public-notice and hearing process under state law and the county’s posting and distribution of the Novant proposal.

After public comment and a closed session, Commissioner Goins read a resolution titled “declaring the intent of the Board of Commissioners of the County of Surry, North Carolina for the Northern Hospital District of Surry County to enter into an agreement with Novant Health for the sale of the assets of Northern Regional Hospital.” The board then voted to adopt the resolution and to allow exclusive negotiations with Novant, with the vote recorded as a voice vote and the motion carried.

The resolution states the proposal was made publicly available on Oct. 10 and references compliance with North Carolina General Statutes relating to public hearings for hospital sales. The resolution directs staff and the hospital district to proceed to due diligence and negotiation; it does not finalize sale documents or closing dates.

The board’s action does not itself transfer ownership; it establishes intent and exclusive negotiating rights and sets the county and hospital district to undertake due diligence and complete transaction documents. Commissioners and hospital leaders said more details and legal documents will follow during the next phases of the process.

Officials asked the public for patience during the due-diligence period and noted that specific outcomes for service lines, governance appointments, and long-term commitments are matters to be captured in the definitive transaction documents, which were not part of the resolution adopted Oct. 20.