If there weren't enough groups already duking it out for control over Marathon's Fishermen's Hospital, a local politician and perhaps a major university are joining the fray.

For the past two weeks, a Florida Keys delegation has been lobbying the University of Miami Hospital system to take over Fishermen's Hospital, a move one Monroe county commissioner said could save the county from taxing residents to subsidize the private facility.

Member's of the Fishermen's Hospital Board of Trustees, one of two boards related to the facility, successfully placed an item on the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners agenda last week that, if approved, would have started the wheels in motion to create a special taxing district in the Middle Keys to support the hospital.

That item was pulled from the agenda on Tuesday, however.

The hospital's board of trustees, which owns the actual facility, is a separate entity from the hospital's advisory board, which works more closely with the hospital's management company Health Management Associates, which is a separate private company.

But a group of locals believe the University of Miami could be lined up for an easy management transition should the board of trustees not renew HMA's management contract when it expires in 2011.

The large nonprofit could absorb the cost of equipping the hospital more easily than a small corporation, in the likely event the current owner, HMA, would take its equipment if the hospital board did not renew its contract when it expires, officials say. Although the board of trustees owns the building, HMA owns most of the equipment inside of it. HMA has managed operations as the Hospital since 1986. The hospital was first opened in the '50s.

Monroe County Commissioner Mario Di Gennaro, Fishermen's Hospital board member Bruce Schmitt and University of Miami doctors Bruce Boros and Richard Burger met last Tuesday to discuss the institution taking over management of the Marathon hospital. Boros said he and Burger, both cardiologists, have had separate conversations about it with University of Miami administrators. Di Gennaro said talks between the entities are expected to resume in January.

Boros, who has worked in the Florida Keys since 1982, and Burger, who is stationed in Miami, argue the move would be good for the Keys, as the university focuses heavily on "patient care."

"They have a vision. They take care of patients as human beings," Boros said. "Having the hospital under the (University of Miami) umbrella would help the hospital get back on its feet. It would be good for patients and it would be good for doctors."

Di Gennaro, who has taken the lead on the proposal, recently underwent heart procedures at a University of Miami facility and lauded its work.

"This is about getting a good hospital in Marathon," Di Gennaro said.

"We need a good nonprofit to take this over. This would be the best thing to happen to this hospital in years."

Hospital Board of Trustees President Marv Schindler said Boros and Burger are overstepping their boundaries.

"They are in no position to make any kind of decision," he said, adding that the hospital board is trying to cultivate a relationship with two South Florida universities, but only to set up a teaching hospital at Fishermen's.

"[The universities] are not prepared to do any of those things," Schindler said of managing the hospital.

The hospital board has made no secret of its desire to replace HMA, which also manages Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West.

The board of trustees threw support behind Baptist Health South Florida last year to have that company, which manages Mariner's Hospital in the Upper Keys, step in and take over for HMA immediately.

Baptist Health South Florida earlier this year pulled out of negotiations to do so, citing the economy and potential cost of replacing HMA's equipment.

That prompted the hospital board to ask the County Commission to create a special taxing district for five years, in which Middle Keys property owners from the Seven Mile Bridge to Long Key would pay about $68 for every $100,000 in valuation to help fund the costs.

The special taxing district would also require approval from the Florida Legislature and Keys voters.

"The taxing issue is something the community may or may not accept," hospital board member David Rice said. "We are committed to having as many options as we possibly can."

Marathon City Councilman Dick Ramsay said the decision ultimately would be the public's.

"Any time people are subjected to more taxation, I'm very concerned," he said.

University of Miami Hospital officials did not return calls seeking comment. HMA officials also have not returned calls.

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