CEO CORNER: East Adams Rural Hospital projects explained by CEO

Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 (District) is moving forward with a plan to correct previously sited deficiencies in sprinklers and electrical systems.

The plan has been accepted by the Washington State Department of Health and State Fire Marshall (State) and Centers for Medicare Services (CMS).

The District entered into a contract with the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) who contracted with the Apollo Solutions Group to complete the necessary work.

The initial violation for the electrical resulted in changing three panels and providing a new electrical service.

During this process it was discovered that several outlets were not properly grounded, and we are now required to provide electrical grounding throughout the facility. The State and CMS authorized an extension until May 2015 for the District to complete work.

Upon completion of the immediate repairs, the District will need to continue remodeling to bring the rest of the building up to code.

The entire project is estimated at $11.3 million and includes making our bathrooms ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act, compliant. (At this time we cannot push a wheelchair into our bathrooms).

This will entail moving walls, asbestos abatement, a new elevator, new windows and other issues due to remodeling a building of this age. The full remodel will also include a new structure for the MedStar helicopter to land on which is a crucial need to the District.

The District Board of Commissioners approved initial funding for the project, which is estimated to cost $4.9 million.

Additional planned repairs include the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, an emergency generator, a boiler and replacing the roof.

In order to fund the repairs, the District is looking to borrow $3 million against future tax proceeds and utilize $1.9 million from its reserves.

By financing in this manner, it should make for a lower interest rate on the General Obligation Bonds. Additional funding of $6.4 million will be requested on the November ballot in the form of a General Obligation Bond.

The Board of Commissioners hopes to keep the request to voters under .60 cents per $1,000 of property valuation over a 30-year span.

Construction is expected to begin in August. Please stop by and see the changes to our facility.