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Trustees may partner with county
Hospital board considers agreement to join C.R. 491 widening project and medical corridor
INVERNESS — The Citrus County Hospital Board trustees are considering an agreement with the county commission to join the County Road 491 widening project and medical corridor.
Under one plan being discussed, the hospital board would use tax dollars to pay for building roads in and surrounding its Allen Ridge medical complex, and then recoup its money in impact fees paid by companies that build commercial or medical businesses along the new roads.
The board voted 5-0 Wednesday to allow CCHB attorneys to begin negotiating an interlocal agreement with the county.
The board is expected to meet again at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, to hear details of the plan.
County commissioners want to widen C.R. 491 between State Road 44 and C.R. 486. They also are considering a medical corridor that they believe would attract a regional medical center from the Universities of Florida, Central Florida or South Florida.
Unlike other road widening projects, commissioners are hoping to avoid buying right of way. Instead, they want to swap land with property owners to build large drainage basins that would accompany several parcels.
County Administrator Brad Thorpe told hospital trustees the county has about $9 million for the project, which could fund construction or buy right of way — but not both.
Attorney Fred Busack, with the Tampa firm of Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell and Dunbar, is the county’s consultant on the project.
CCHB attorney Bill Grant and trustee Mike Bays met earlier this week with Busack, Thorpe, County Attorney Richard Wesch and commission Chairman Joe Meek to discuss the board’s potential partnership with the county.
Grant said partnering with the county to offer improvements along the corridor could significantly increase the value of the hospital-owned property.
The hospital board earlier this month hired a Dallas-based company to conduct an appraisal of all properties owned by the board and Citrus Memorial Health Foundation. Trustees are expected to decide in late spring whether to consider a sale or merger of Citrus Memorial Health System, or keep the hospital publicly owned.
The foundation and trustees also are seeking companies that may be interested in buying or merging with the hospital. Members of both boards stress they have made no decision about the hospital’s future.
Contact Chronicle reporter Mike Wright at 352-563-3228 or mwright@chronicleonline.com.
* An open house for the C.R. 491 widening project is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today in the Lecanto Government Building, Room 166.
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Copyright © 2013
How much tax must be lost to stop the spending
The County Commissioners have been having a hissy over Progress (Duke) Energy's failure to pay the tax that was assessed.
The Sheriff says that deputies might have to be laid off.
Brad Thorpe says that County Services will be curtailed
Out of the other side of Brad Thorpe's mouth we hear, "the county has about $9 million for the project, which could fund construction or buy right of way — but not both."
Let the builders and contractors bear the burden of purchasing right of way, buying land and developing it. Then the County would not need the impact fees. There is a risk that the speculative construction will not be a success. That is why the Builders (like D'mato and Tamposi) want the citizens to bear the cost.
Never elect a building contractor to the County commission, they will rape and plunder then walk away rich.
"Follow the money trail!"
Questions, questions, and more questions
With the hospital's bond rating already downgraded and ongoing operating loses, what impact will this action have on the financial health of our health system?
How long before future impact fee revenue will actually be generated? Are there current projects in the works? What if the future growth doesn't happen before the hospital is SOLD? What entity recoups the impact fee then?
Wasn't there a prior article about proceeds from the sale of the hospital to be used for this purpose? Does this mean twice as many tax dollars earmarked for health care could go to roads?
What other HEALTH CARE priorities do the trustees have?
Is this an attempt to lure potential hospital buyers? Has it come up in discussions by//with parties interested in pu
What about the YMCA and hospital deal at Allen Ridge? How does this deal impact that project? Could the YMCA move forward at that location without trustees funding the 491 medical corridor road widening project? That could raise potential conflict of interest questions as trustee Bays is also involved with the YMCA.
This is just a list of questions that quickly popped in my head after reading the article. I am sure trustees who are more informed will have a long list of questions to ask before using HEALTHCARE dollars from taxpayers on activities that have such a far removed impact on PATIENT CARE.
it is unfortunate that not more people are concerned about the future of CMHS. It will shape care for everyone not just the poor.
Asking questions is not a bad thing. Community dialogue is a good thing. My hope is that the Chronicle will be the leader of dialogue by asking questions rather than reporting outcomes.
Advoc8