Kittitas Valley Hospital leaders present August levy to sustain local labor and delivery and expand care

Kittitas Valley Healthcare officials presented details of a proposed local levy to the Ellensburg City Council on July 7, asking voters in August to help sustain labor and delivery services and expand primary and specialty care.

KVH representatives said the hospital’s labor-and-delivery services cost roughly $8 million a year to operate and brought in about $3 million in revenue from last year’s births, creating an ongoing operating deficit the levy is intended to help close. “With just a little under $6,000,000 that will be collected if this levy passes, you can see that directly correlates to labor and delivery services being sustained here,” Crystal Densley, a KVH representative, told the council and audience.

Why it matters: KVH is a public hospital district that leaders say has remained financially stable for decades but is increasingly exposed to regional pressures affecting rural hospitals, including staffing shortages and cuts in state and federal reimbursements. Hospital presenters framed the levy as a local investment to keep care—especially labor and delivery—close to home and to support recruitment and retention of medical staff.

Details and use of funds: KVH said the levy would prioritize sustaining 24‑hour provider, nursing, and pediatric on‑call services for labor and delivery. Presenters said primary care and specialty care expansion and creation of career pathways (for example, medical assistant apprenticeships and nursing scholarships) are other stated priorities. Council members asked how much of the levy proceeds would be dedicated to labor and delivery versus other uses; KVH’s oral presentation indicated labor and delivery would be the principal immediate use, with other services funded as resources allow.

Public questions and property purchase: Residents asked KVH about recent property acquisitions and tax status. KVH confirmed it purchased approximately 41 acres on Dollar Way as a long‑term site for possible replacement or expansion of facilities; the district said the parcel was purchased and leased back to the prior owner and that the purchase was taxed in the normal manner.

Next steps: Mayor and council members clarified the body would not take a formal stand at this meeting. Council asked staff to prepare a resolution to place the question of a council‑endorsed position on a future agenda, so council can consider whether to publicly support the ballot measure at a later meeting. KVH materials and a public Q&A were provided to the city and posted by the hospital on its website, the presenters said.