With the resounding unofficial approval from voters in two area counties, the Sweet Springs Ambulance District has earned the go-ahead to pursue its plans to attempt to purchase and resurrect a hospital that has been closed for more than two years.

A press release from the ambulance district says I-70 Community Hospital in Sweet Springs was closed in February 2019 due to a failure of the owner and/or management company. The property was unsuccessfully offered at auction twice and was foreclosed on by the mortgagor, First Liberty Bank of Oklahoma City.

Local ambulance and fire districts and other community leaders have put together a plan to acquire and reopen the facility, which was built in 2005 and clinic facilities were added in 2012, bringing the total development cost to $10 to $12 million.

According to unofficial totals, Saline County voters passed the measure to allow the ambulance district to issue its general-obligation bonds in the amount of $2.5 million for the purpose of acquiring, renovating, furnishing and equipping a new building to be used as a new ambulance station and headquarters; and acquiring and installing medical communications and other equipment, by a resounding 263 Yes to 105 No count.

In Pettis County, voters gave their approval by a 69-to-49 margin; making the overall positive count a more-than two-to-one margin at 332 to 154.

Since the measure has unofficially been approved by voters, the ambulance district says the 20-year, two-percent-interest bond debt payment of $153,000 per year will be serviced by a $0.21 tax levy for Sweet Springs Ambulance District property owners, which equates to about $3.33 per month or $40 per year per $100,000 in residential property value.
Immediately following necessary improvements, the ambulance district intends to lease a portion of the facility to a rural health clinic and a physical therapy group, with estimated rental income from these sources at $110,000 per year. Lessees will pay for their own utilities and cleaning services. The operating room will be available for rent for dental surgeries, generating estimated rental income of $75,000 per year.

Also, if successful acquisition of the property can be obtained, a community group will be created to move forward with the necessary action to ask voters to form a hospital district, with the anticipated scope including areas which will benefit most from having emergency and related health services at this location.

Currently, the geographic area under consideration is that of the Concordia and Alma Fire Protection Districts and the Sweet Springs Ambulance District. The assessed value for these combined areas in 2020 was about $165.8 million. A levy of $0.50 based on current valuation, plus a 0.5-percent increase will generate about $831,000 annually to operate the facility. This equates to about $7.92 a month or $95 per year per $100,000 in residential property value.

Results of the election are scheduled to be finalized later this week.