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Commissioners debate future of aging hospital facility and who will fund upkeep
Summary
During the meeting commissioners discussed structural and maintenance problems at an aging hospital facility, including sewer-gas concerns and outstanding audit-report items, and debated rental agreements or repurposing (assisted living, offices) to cover upkeep costs after the hospital moves.
Daniels County commissioners spent substantial time discussing the future of an aging hospital facility that is expected to be vacated when a new hospital is built.
Commissioners raised long-standing maintenance problems that were documented in an earlier Anderson Estold report: outstanding electrical and safety items described as 'red' and persistent water and sewer issues tied to cast-iron piping. One commissioner said a patient appointment had been canceled after staff and patients reported a strong sewer-gas smell and that the report’s recommended repairs had not been completed when told previously not to proceed with maintenance.
The board discussed possible short-term fixes and longer-term options, including negotiating a rental agreement with the hospital district to provide a modest payment (a commissioner suggested an illustrative figure of about $50,000 a year) to cover street lighting and grounds upkeep. Commissioners also discussed grant-funded reuse options such as assisted-living projects that smaller communities in the region have created with grant help. No final decision to acquire, renovate or divest the property was made; commissioners emphasized the county is not a landlord and that any major work would require significant funding.
Speakers also noted that portions of the building date to 1952 with multiple later additions, complicating repairs and heating costs. Commissioners asked for clearer documentation of outstanding maintenance responsibilities and expressed frustration that previous directions apparently limited timely repairs. The discussion concluded with agreement to continue exploring options and to seek additional information on costs, lease terms and funding sources.
