Springdale council presses provider on costs, size of proposed clinic

Springdale Town Council on Jan. 28 reviewed plans for a proposed medical clinic to sit on two acres of town-owned land and asked staff to seek firm commitments from potential providers before moving forward.

Town Manager Rick Wixom told the Council that "the Town needed to know if Family Healthcare would agree to a monthly payment of at least $7,300 to service a bond," and he urged vetting the provider’s capacity to operate in Springdale. Mayor Barbara Bruno, Jack Burns, Pat Campbell, Randy Aton and Kyla Topham all discussed building size, lease terms and whether the clinic should include an on-site pharmacy limited to clinic patients rather than a retail operation.

Council members questioned the originally proposed 4,000-square-foot design. Burns and Campbell both said the footprint felt large for current demand, while Topham and Bruno said flexibility and the ability to expand later were important. Aton said he shared concerns about size and cost given limited room for local residential growth that would expand the patient base.

Council members also discussed whether Family Healthcare should be the sole provider under consideration; Topham suggested opening conversations with other regional providers such as Intermountain Health if Family Healthcare would not commit. The Council asked staff to return with a clear statement on provider commitment, anticipated lease length, staffing expectations and an analysis of scalable building options.

The Council did not vote on a clinic or commit funds; next steps are meetings with the architect to refine size and functions and a staff-led conversation with Family Healthcare or alternative providers.