More than 150 Mon Valley residents, health care activists and elected officials gathered at Braddock Carnegie Library last night, where Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato hosted a public hearing on UPMC's decision to shutter its hospital there at the end of January.

More than a dozen attendees, including some public officials, addressed Mr. Onorato directly, offering him suggestions of how he might persuade UPMC to keep the hospital open and, if that failed, propositions for what might be done with the sprawling facility if it closed. And they shared stories of how the hospital, which has been there for 103 years under different owners, has benefitted them and their families.

"When my son was a baby, this hospital saved his life," said Denise Weis, of Munhall. "[This hospital] has been here for every member of my family."

The tranquility of the event was a dramatic departure from two previous community meetings on the topic, in which residents and public officials, seething at the medical giant's decision last month to close the facility, fought with UPMC officials and among themselves.

But last night, even those who previously criticized Mr. Onorato for not speaking out enough in support of Braddock called for unity in the fight to keep the hospital open. Residents and activists are gathering today for a 2 p.m. rally at the hospital.

"I'm here to fight. I'm going to say that we should all be together in this fight," said council President Jesse Brown. "At this time it's best that we stay together ... that we not get into some petty arguments."

Mr. Onorato proposed the creation of a "working group" of elected officials from local municipalities who would meet on a weekly basis to create a proposal that would be taken to board members at UPMC before the hospital's slated closure at the end of January. And he said he planned to ask the state, which committed a $3 million grant to the hospital for renovations that UPMC has pledged not to spend, to divert those funds to another project in Braddock.

Some of those who spoke asked pointed questions of the county executive, like what would happen to the low-cost dental program and to youth activities currently hosted in the building. And they worked to drive home the impact of the closure, pointing out, for example, that the county was going to lose at least 20 beds for inpatient psychiatric treatment, which means those patients may have to be sent out of county.

Many of those who spoke urged the county and other entities to take legal action against the medical giant. County Councilman Chuck McCullough, R-Upper St. Clair, who is a practicing attorney, called UPMC's move to close the hospital "classic monopoly action" and suggested the county and others explore the legality of it.

Others offered that if UPMC leaves, the building could be turned into a youth center, a base for new businesses or a social service agency. Mr. Onorato said he would take them all under consideration.

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