Hospital to submit tax levy for voter approval in November election

August 15, 2016

Our local hospital will be going to the voters in November’s election to request approval for a two year tax levy to pay for updating and upgrading the hospital and many of its services. Representatives for Boundary Community Hospital appeared before Boundary County Commissioners at their regular meeting last Monday and gave a presentation requesting that this November’s ballot include the levy. Hospital CEO Craig Johnson said the money is needed for improvements in the hospital and its services that cannot be funded any other way. Many upgrades already completed using the hospital’s own funding Mr. Johnson pointed out that without going to the voters, the hospital through its own resources has already paid for many facilities and services improvements, which in recent years have included the purchase of a brand new, current-technology CT scan machine, replacing the nurse call intercom system that patients use, upgrading the hospital elevator system, upgrading anesthesia services, and remodeling physician office space. He also pointed out that the Fry Healthcare Foundation, through its fundraising efforts (such as the annual Festival of Trees), has been able to purchase and donate important items to the hospital, such as a new portable ultrasound machine, new physical therapy equipment that was needed, and a van used for patient transport, among other things. All of these and other improvements and equipment have been done without going to voters and without requests for additional tax money. He pointed out that the last time the hospital put forth a tax levy for voter approval was eight years ago, back in 2008. Why a tax levy? So why does the hospital now need to approach voters for a levy? Mr. Johnson told the commissioners that the hospital is now facing additional needs and required improvements, some of which are required by federal regulations, that simply are too expensive and cannot be paid for from revenue generated by the hospital. Many of the items on the hospital’s needs list will improve services available to the community. The hospital will be asking voters to fund $414,000 a year for a two year period. At the end of the two years, the levy ends, and the temporary two year hospital taxation will be ended. How the hospital plans to use the money What sorts of things will the hospital use these tax dollars for? Mr. Johnson gave several specifics: • The hospital’s fire alarm panel needs to be replaced. The current panel is failing, has required multiple repairs, and is becoming a safety code issue that requires attention. The current panel is so dated that the last time replacement parts were needed the maintenance staff had to go to eBay to find the required parts for repair. Mr. Johnson said the panel needs to be replaced to meet safety code and to keep the hospital safe. • The HVAC control system needs to be replaced. He pointed out that this involves more than just improving the temperature environment within the hospital. In addition, the portions of the HVAC system that service the surgical and operating room area of the hospital need to meet certain requirements for filters and humidity. The current system does not meet those regulatory requirements, and need to be updated. Updating the system will better control the climate for hospital patients, lower long term costs for HVAC operation, and meet the newest standards for the surgical environment. • Upgrading the surgical area of the hospital, which will allow for expanding surgical services available at our local hospital. This includes plans to upgrade to new scopes used to visualize stomach and intestinal issues for patients. The hospital wishes to expand its orthopedic surgical services, and is looking at acquiring new joint arthroscopy equipment. With the new planned equipment, new arthroscopy services can be offered locally. Also on the list of surgical requirements, Mr. Johnson stated that the X-ray equipment used right in the operating room is becoming obsolete and needs to be replaced with a new system. Currently newer systems take x-rays with less radiation and are more efficient. • The hospital’s X-ray department needs new equipment that is used to inject the dye used for certain CT scan studies. • The hospital is looking also at new laboratory equipment. This would include current-technology equipment that provides faster and more accurate analysis. The hospital is looking at new equipment for blood test analysis, also equipment used to help identify bacteria and viruses that are causing a patient’s infection. The equipment they are looking to purchase would identify bacteria and viruses in 65 minutes, versus the three day waiting period needed with the equipment the lab has now. Adding up all the costs of the proposed new equipment and upgrades comes to the $828,000 grand total the hospital is requesting in the two-year levy. What will this cost you? What will all this cost the individual taxpayer? This would be a property tax, and under the proposed levy property owners would pay an additional $48 for every $100,000 of the county assessor’s value of the property (not the market value of the property). So for a home that the county has assessed at $100,000, the property owner would pay $48 each year for the two years of the levy, a total of $96 altogether for the two years. As mentioned, at the end of the two year levy period, the tax ends and is removed. Mr. Johnson stressed that the hospital has the goal of providing as many services as are feasible for a small rural hospital of its size, helping patients in our area to obtain needed services right here in Boundary County, rather than having to travel longer distances to receive those services at distant hospitals, putting a strain on patients and their families.