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Show VVMC sale possible By BRUCE LEE Record Asst. Editor Intermountain Health care is currently looking closely at buying the Valley View Medical Center, and price negotiations for the facility are likely to beign at the ODDOsite poles of $1 and $500.00. According to VVMC Adminstrator Reginald Hughes, the IHC is considering con-sidering the option to purchase the hospital very seriously. The non-profit hospital chain is offering to buy the hospital very seriously. The non-profit hospital chain is offering to buy the hospital under a stipulation in the contract between IHC and Iron County. The contract contains an option for IHC to buy the hospital for approximately ap-proximately $500,000 figure. In fact, he would like to see it sold for as little as $1. Hughes said his reasoning for such an offer is simple: the partrons of the hospital would have to pay for the sell through higher costs for services. The taxpayers have already paid for the hospital once, he said. It would be an unfair burden on them to force them to pay for it again through higher costs for services. County Commissioner S. Garth Jones, who has been representing the commission in talks thus far, disagreed. "We want to be fair to those people who in the past have paid for the hospital in tax monies," he said. He felt that some of that money should be returned to the county's general fund through the sale of the hospital. He noted that the $500,000 price tag was an extremely small one when compared to the actual value of modern hospitals and equipment. Jones and the commission were in agreement with Hughes on one account. "The commission feels philosphically that the county shouldn't be in the hospital business," he said. Yet Hughes also pointed out another consideration. He noted that the hospital could need up to $1.5 million to renovate it to meet stricter standards and to prepare for increased use for-seen for-seen for the future. "This hospital has had some very significant liabilities, some of which are r. still uncorrected," said Hughes. Included are many repairs which need to be made on the building. The foundation of the building has been sinking for many years now, and it must be grouted soon to prevent serious structural damage. Also, the roof and floor surfaces must be ref inished in the near future. Also, the current hospital ad-minstration ad-minstration is looking at buying a new $60,000 x-ray machine, said Hughes, as well as other expensive equipment. "It's been king of an uphill grind to put this hospital in good physical condition," said Hughes. Negotiations between the IHC and the county commission will begin at the next county commission meeting on Oct. 8 at the courthouse in Parowan. see VVMC on page 2 - ii i I., -i I,, ., i. r VVMC r continued from page 1 Also, the current hospital ad-minstration ad-minstration is looking at buying a new $60,000 x-ray machine, said Hughes, as well as other expensive equipment. "It's been king of an uphill grind to put this hospital in good physical condition," said Hughes. Negotiations between the IHC and the county commission will begin at the next county commission meeting on Oct. 8 at the courthouse in Parowan. |