Hospital board commits $4.9 million to improvements on the existing building

Following the list of improvements necessary to meet criteria set by the Department of Health (DOH), the Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 Board of Directors have approved the allocation of $4.9 million to fund projects within the hospital. With the estimated, max cost of $4.984 for the project, set by Apollo Solutions Group, the board agreed to the projects during the regular meeting on May 22.

Apollo presented to the board about completing the immediate projects to bring the hospital up to code in the existing building, as the hospital board made the decision to forego building a new hospital, following the failing of the bond placed on the ballot last spring.

DOH presented the board with a list of criteria for the hospital to meet code. Apollo addressed those criteria and also added the replacement and improvement of the HVAC system in the aging building.

The $4.9 million cost includes the implementation of a fire and sprinkler system, upgrades to the electrical system and improving the HVAC system.

During the presentation, Apollo consultants addressed while the HVAC system currently meets code, it has a high potential to be considered failing and needing improvement in the near future.

The tasks being completed in the $4.9 million project include replacing fire panels, installing sprinklers, replacing water pumps, adding a new boiler for extra capacity, replacing the generator and improving emergency lighting.

The Apollo consultants stated the facilities are the essential focus, and the goals of Apollo and NAC Architecture are to improve the facilities and efficiencies.

The end goals are becoming DOH compliant, modernizing the facility and improving patient care, but implementation of the project has to be completed first.

The hospital board showed concerns with using the total amount of funds available in the current expense budget, while also having to dip into reserves.

The $4.9 million commitment would leave the hospital using reserve funds, CEO Gary Bostrom said, as the hospital is also going to have to pay around $800,000 for the current upgrading of the medical records system.

The board discussed putting a bond on the fall election ballot to ask taxpayers to help assist with the necessary upgrades to the facility.

“I’m torn because I don’t like to go out and find money somewhere else, but we need to do this,” Chairman Jerry Snyder said. “We have to be very careful on what we do, but we have to do it.”

Commissioner Jerry Crossler added the hospital has a $4.9 million bill staring them in the face and they have the money to do it, but additional costs should be left to the discretion of the taxpayers.

“The amount of people at the meetings lately has been virtually nonexistent,” Crossler said. “That’s them saying, ‘we agree with what you’re doing now, we’re not going to argue.’”

The project covers three points presented by Apollo in the preliminary presentation. There are six total projects, and the board also expressed interest in finding a way to complete the majority of the projects at the same time.

Apollo expressed the main concern was to bring the hospital up to code immediately, and begin moving forward with those plans. Apollo is also working in coordination with NAC for the final project figures.

Looking at the remainder of the projects still needing to be completed at the facility to improve the aging building, the commissioners expressed interest in meeting with the consultants again to finalize costs and evaluate the projects.

The initial focus is on the installation of a nurse call system, improvements to the helipad, and new windows and roof.

At the conclusion of the discussion, Eric Walker made a motion to authorize moving ahead with FIMs one, two and six. Ross Heimbigner seconded the motion, and the commissioners in attendance unanimously approved it.

Commissioner Stacey Plummer was absent.

The board of commissioners is having an additional, informational meeting with Apollo and NAC on June 4 at 9 a.m. in the hospital conference room.

The board hopes to use this meeting as an opportunity to figure out final project costs and determine what the bond amount to place before taxpayers would need to be in order to complete the upgrades to the facility.

The meeting is open to the public.