Hospital privatization nearly complete

Final approval of a quintet of ordinances signing over control of city-owned Hutchinson Area Health Care to a new nonprofit agency is expected when the City Council meets Tuesday, Sept. 11.

Council approval of the transfer of the hospital, Burns Manor and other HAHC operations to Hutchinson Health Care will mark the near completion of more than two years of work on the proposal.

Under the proposal, the city will retain “membership rights” that allow it to appoint a minority of board members and the right to approve future sales or mergers of the operation.

Several other issues are on the meeting agenda. They include:
Setting the 2008 preliminary tax levy amount that is sent to the McLeod County Auditor.
Considering Dec. 3 as the date for the annual Truth-in-Taxation hearing.
Scheduling the annual performance review for City Administrator Gary Plotz.
Awarding the contract for construction of a building in the industrial park that will be leased to Customer Elation, a Bloomington-based call center.
Calling for the sale of the general obligation improvement bonds that pay for street and utility projects done this year.
Discussing a proposed commercial-industrial property fire safety inspection fee that could raised up to $40,000 per year.
Considering a date for the council to host a community visioning process workshop.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of City Center, 111 Hassan St. S.E.

(Terry Davis is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)