BELHAVEN — Time is running out for the Town of Belhaven to successfully assume responsibility for Vidant Pungo Hospital, with the closing scheduled for July 1.

The town has just over a week to finish the transfer of the hospital from Vidant, who announced plans to close the hospital last year.

Pantego Creek, LLC, the entity created in 2011 to oversee Vidant’s assumption of control of the hospital issued a statement on Monday that it would not agree to an amendment to the agreement for a six-month extension of the deal, according to a press release. Because Pungo District Hospital was a private corporation, Pantego Creek, a third group, was created to protect the interests of the former membership corporation after Vidant took over the hospital.

In February, Pantego Creek and Vidant agreed to replace the hospital with a 24-hour a day, seven day a week multi-specialty clinic. The proposed amendment to the agreement to close the hospital on July 1 represents a request for an additional six months, or until Dec. 31, 2014, for the town to make arrangements to transfer control of the hospital, according to a Pantego Creek press release.

The release said the requested amendment would have potentially altered other very important terms of the agreement reached in February, including termination of Vidant’s obligation to construct and operate the new clinic.

Vidant Community Hospitals President Roger Robertson issued a statement this week in response to Pantego Creek’s decision: “Vidant Health has learned that Pantego Creek, LLC is unwilling to agree to a transfer of ownership of Vidant Pungo Hospital to the Town of Belhaven. Pantego Creek’s decision in this regard is unexpected, and places Vidant Health in a difficult position in its ability to continue to assist the Town of Belhaven in its efforts to assume control of the hospital.”

A mediation agreement in April led Vidant to give the town $1 million to secure a $2 million loan from the Beaufort County Commissioners, keeping the hospital open for an additional 90 days, according to a press release. The agreement was a result of the U.S. Department of Justice conducting mediation between the town, Vidant and the N.C. NAACP, who filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This was in response to the Sep. 2013 announcement to close the hospital. This 90-day period was granted to give the town time to find new management and figure out a plan for the hospital, which serves Belhaven, eastern Beaufort County and western Hyde County.

Belhaven Mayor Adam O’Neal declined to comment on Pantego’s announcement nor the direction the town was taking to secure feasibility and new ownership of the hospital.