Voters will decide Nov. 2 whether to increase a countywide sales tax by 1⁄4 of a cent to go toward a new Allen County Hospital.
Members of the Allen County Healthcare Committee address questions about the issue.
Q: Would Allen County Hospital be controlled locally if we vote to build a new one?
A: Yes, if voters decide Nov. 2 to approve the quarter-cent sales tax proposal to pay for a new hospital, the commissioners of Allen County will soon thereafter draft and approve the required organizational documents to appoint a new hospital board. This new board would do four primary things: 1) start the process of designing and building a new hospital, 2) notify HCA that in six months the lease with the county will be terminated, 3) prepare to take over management of the hospital by identifying who will be the new administrator and chief financial officer, and 4) work out the transition details with HCA to insure a smooth transition.
Six months after giving notice, the new board and its administration then will take control of the present hospital while the new one is being built.
A pool of names of qualified county residents has already been started to assist the commissioners in the appointment process, should we have a successful vote. Citizens living in all parts of the county have been suggested from the registered voter rolls. Of particular interest for the commissioners will be those people with skills in finance, facilities management, construction, personnel, insurance and, of course, health care who are willing to serve during what will be an exciting and challenging time in the history of our county and its hospital.
Just as the commissioners did earlier this year with the Hospital Master-plan Task Force, experts would continue to be tapped to assist the new hospital board and its administration. Consultants would most certainly be used to help supervise construction of the hospital to be certain it came in on or under budget.
The decision may be made to hire for a fee, or a specific dollar amount, a group, possibly even HCA, to assist with the administration of the hospital. This arrangement would be different than the present one which permits HCA to keep all the revenues in exchange for paying all the bills. If a hospital administration company is hired, it will only receive a specific amount for its services.
For over 28 years the future of the hospital has rested with organizations outside the county. A “yes” vote on Nov. 2 returns to Allen County voters control of the hospital.
Yes! Allen County Healthcare
