Andrew Bair, chief executive officer of the Ellsworth County Medical Center, briefed Ellsworth County commissioners Monday on the question of whether the hospital will participate in the proposed Ellsworth American Legion 8,000-square-foot community center project.

“We’re intrigued by the idea,” Bair said.“We do not want to be standing in the way of the community getting something that would be a benefit to the community. However, we’re not willing to do anything that is going to put the hospital at risk.”

Bair said the proposed building is much more than an American Legion building.

“It’s truly a conference center, as far as I can tell,” he said.

Bair said the main area is designed to hold 460 people. There will also be smaller meeting rooms, bathrooms, and a commercial kitchen.

Bair said the Dane G. Hansen Foundation has said it will provide half of the cost of the building if the hospital participates. Total is $1.8 million on the high side and $1.2 million on the low side.

“I think we can put our physical therapy department in there, plus other departments that generate some revenue,” Bair said.

If those were relocated, ECMC would be able to have another physician’s assistant and physician where physical therapy is now. There is also space for a mammography department, Bair said.

“What we are currently doing is the math to figure out if it’s a break even or a big loss,” he added.

Bair said, originally, the plan was to include a pool in the community building for aqua therapy, but the hospital is not going to do that now.

He said the hospital’s share of the proposed building would be 40 percent — $240,000 on the low side and $360,000 on the high side if the hospital board decides to participate.

The Ellsworth American Legion would be responsible for the other 60 percent.

“That’s pretty inexpensive,” Bair said.“And it frees up some space that I can use to take care of some needs.”

Bair said the original idea for the hospital’s part of the community center included a pool for aqua therapy.

“We’re not interested in building a pool,” Bair said.

The hospital board will conduct a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, in the hospital’s administration conference room to discuss possible participation in the community center project. The public is invited.

Commissioner Kermit Rush asked county clerk Shelly Vopat where the county would get the money if the hospital needs county participation in the community building project. Vopat said a 1 percent sales tax fund was approved by voters in 2017. The fund earmarks half of the 1 percent to the county road and bridge department and half to ECMC. Currently, the hospital’s share of the fund is $278,000.

“I wouldn’t want to deplete that whole fund,” Rush said.

No action was taken.

In other business:

• Bair said Tammy Moore has resigned from the hospital board, so commissioners will need to appoint a new board member from Ellsworth.

• Shawn Esterl, Ellsworth County sanitarian, presented fourth quarter statistics.

During the months of October, November and December, nine sewage inspections were done, along with two real estate transactions, two water inspections and four water tests.

• Jeremiah Brown, director of the county EMS, said his department recently passed an annual state inspection with an “outstanding” rating.

• After a 10-minute executive session to discuss wages for non-elected personnel with Brown and EMS technician Jordan Stacey, approval was given to raise the salaries of the six full-time EMS technicians from the current one percent to 2.5 percent. At the Jan. 21 commission meeting, approval was given to Resolution 2020R01, establishing rates of compensation for all county employees for 2020 by an increase of 2.5 percent. Brown said the six EMTs were not included because in past years they received overtime. Now they don’t.

From Jan. 21:

• Teresa Shute, supervisor of the county noxious weed department, landfill and recycling program, presented quotes from Wenz Interiors ($1,629.90) and Gutters Plus Kansas ($250) for repair of hail damage sustained in June. The quotes were both approved to be paid out of the county building fund.

• No action was taken after a 15-minute executive session with Shute for non-elected personnel for personnel wages.

• Carl Miller, county appraiser, said he would be buying a copier from Office Products Incorporated. After the invoice is received, commissioners will need to make a motion to pay for the copier out of the county equipment fund since the funds were budgeted in 2019.

• Commissioner Steve Dlabal Jr. was elected commission chairman for 2020, while Commissioner Dennis Rolfs was elected vice chairman.

• A list of 2020 appointments was approved, including the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter as the official newspaper.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at the county courthouse.

“What we are currently doing is the math to figure out if it’s a break even or a big loss.”
Andrew Bair
Ellsworth County Medical Center