Geary Community Hospital needs approximately six million dollars to keep the hospital open and functioning for the remainder of the year. On Jan. 1st a transition to Stormont Vail Health should be complete.
On Tuesday night the Chair of the Hospital Board of Trustees, Theresa Bramlage, will make a presentation to the Junction City Commission on the pending transition of GCH to Stormont Vail Health.
The County has provided up to $3.5 million in American Recovery Program Act funding and there would be other building improvement commitments. The City is being asked to provide ARPA funds as well but there are concerns. City Manager Allen Dinkel noted in his agenda explanation on this issue that he doesn't feel this is an allowed use of the City's ARPA funds and he does not believe that that the City should take this risk and later have to recover the funds.
Much of the City funding in reserve is targeted for future required improvements to the wastewater plants and to meet all federal and state requirements. If the General Fund were used to provide money to the hospital the City would have to reduce expenditures extensively.
Dinkel noted that the city commission has supported the importance of healthcare in the city and supports the transition of GCH to Stormont Vail. Potential City funding for the hospital now will be a city commission decision.
The city commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at 701 North Jefferson.