Columbia Basin Hospital seeks $30 million bond on Aug. 5 ballot for hospital addition

Columbia Basin Hospital representatives told the Ephrata City Council during public comment that Public Hospital District No. 3 will ask voters on Aug. 5 to approve a $30,000,000 bond to fund an addition to the hospital. "We're asking for $30,000,000 to construct, an addition to the hospital," Rosalinda Gibby said.

Gibby said the district will hold two community meetings next week, both at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday in the hospital cafeteria, and that the hospital district only asks voters for funds when it has a capital building need. "The hospital district only goes out beyond when we have a capital building need. We don't ask for money for operations or for projects or programs or salaries," she said, adding the district considers itself "community owned and operated."

She provided the council with a packet she described as showing the district's financial viability and previous investments, including energy-efficiency work and pandemic-era safety upgrades. On tax impact, Gibby said the proposed $30,000,000 bond would add about "90¢ per thousand" of assessed value and that an existing 2012 bond is about "77¢ per thousand," and she described combined taxpayer burden in her remarks.

Council members asked logistical questions about the community meetings. A council member offered town facilities or the ERC if the hospital needed more space; staff confirmed the announced meetings would be held at the hospital cafeteria. The council took no formal action on the request while the item was in public comment.

Why it matters: The hospital serves Ephrata and surrounding areas; a successful bond would authorize the district to sell bonds to fund the construction described by hospital representatives, with the cost borne by local property taxpayers according to the district's estimate.

Background and next steps: The district said it last conducted a bond in 2010. Hospital staff said they have hired new providers and will continue outreach. The council did not vote on the bond; any official city role would be limited to hosting information and facilitating public meetings; the decision rests with voters in the hospital district. The hospital representative invited council members and residents to the upcoming informational meetings and provided written financial documents to the city clerk.