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Hochatown trustees approve up to $20,000 lease contingency to bring rural clinic back
Summary
The board voted to commit up to $5,000 a month for up to four months, not to exceed $20,000, as a lease contingency to attract a private provider to reopen a rural health clinic in Hochatown. Trustees pressed for provider hours, services and contingency plans before the vote.
The Hochatown Board of Trustees voted to approve a lease contingency of up to $5,000 per month for as many as four months (not to exceed $20,000) to secure space for a proposed rural health clinic. The motion, presented as a temporary way to bring a provider back into town, carried on a roll-call vote.
Mayor (chair) framed the request as a limited, backstop commitment while the private provider establishes operations. "I think that 20,000 and a, you know, a set aside escrow to bring health care services to Hochatown would be a good thing," the Mayor said during the discussion, urging trustees to weigh public-safety benefits against fiscal exposure. Board members sought specifics about the provider's hours, staffing and why previous clinics had failed.
Trustees asked that the provider give a presentation and provide written operating and marketing plans before the town signs any contract. The board noted the proposed contract requires the private tenant to pay a one-year lease if they vacate early; the town's contingency is explicitly limited to four months of rent and would give the town control of the space if the provider leaves.
The motion to approve the lease contingency listed Howard as the mover and Chad as the seconder. The town administrator and several trustees said the contingency would let the town secure immediate access to clinical services for residents and tourists while limiting the town's long-term financial exposure. The board agreed to require further documentation from the provider and to invite the group for a full presentation at a future meeting.
