U.S. First District Rep. Tim Walz said he hopes Mayo officials improve communication with the community after the hospital announced last month it plans to transition most inpatient services from Albert Lea to Austin.

“My team has been on the ground in Albert Lea to meet with community leaders, union members and Mayo Clinic regarding Mayo’s decision to close certain hospital services at its Albert Lea facility,” he said in a written statement on Monday. “The overwhelming feedback I received from local folks is that Mayo failed to engage with the community on this issue.”

As a consequence of the decision, constituents are worried no more children will be born in Albert Lea after 2020, said Walz, DFL-Mankato.

“They are also concerned about the impact the closures will have on economic development and jobs in the area,” he said. “Moreover, the community worries that losing parts of the hospital will make Albert Lea less attractive to young people looking for a community to settle down and raise a family. I share their concerns and have expressed those concerns to Mayo Clinic. Going forward, I sure hope Mayo will make significant strides to engage with folks in the community before making a final decision.”

According to a statement from Mayo Clinic Health System, hospital leadership had a “very productive and candid dialogue” with Walz’s staff.

“We appreciate Congressman Walz’s concern and have assured him and the community of our commitment to engagement and continued dialogue on this and other issues affecting rural health care,” the hospital states.

The first of the changes in the transition is expected to be moving the intensive care unit in Albert Lea to Austin in October.

Inpatient surgeries are slated to move to Austin in January 2018, and the behavioral health center is expected to move from Austin to Albert Lea in 2019. Labor and delivery services are planned to be the last to relocate to Austin in late 2019 or early 2020.