Hospital unveils construction plan
The Olney Hamilton Hospital (OHH) board of directors reviewed key updates on the construction of a new hospital facility, which will break ground early next year at its Oct. 25 meeting.
As part of efforts to support the project’s funding, the board approved an increase in the ad valorem tax exemption for homes within the hospital’s taxing district, raising it to $55,000 from $45,000 for fiscal year 2025. This adjustment is intended to help offset the tax burden created by the need to raise taxes to finance the new construction, OHH Administrator Mike Huff told the board.
Dave Lilly, the hospital project manager, presented an overview of the anticipated construction costs, layout, and timeline. The new facility will feature 16 beds across 10 rooms, designed to allow flexibility during high patient loads.
“The architects maximized the utility and efficiency of the space,” Mr. Lilly said, emphasizing that each room can accommodate two beds if required. He noted that OHH department heads and senior staff worked closely to design a space that meets the community’s healthcare needs.
Board members and staff raised some concerns during the meeting regarding the new hospital’s reduced size compared to the current facility. OHH Chief of Staff Dr. Mark Mankins and board member Dr. Jeremy Johnson expressed worries about the hospital’s capacity, especially during peak flu and pneumonia season, which could necessitate patient transfers.
“Most of the time, it’s not going to be that way,” Dr. Mankins said.
Mr. Lilly emphasized that the hospital’s administrative offices have been designed for adaptability, allowing potential future services, such as obstetrics, if the community can secure funding to reinstate them. Obstetrics services, long offered by the hospital, were not included in plans for the new hospital due to higher- than-expected building costs, and will be discontinued altogether next summer in the existing facility due to rising labor costs, Mr. Huff said.
The new hospital’s current design will fit within OHH’s $33 million budget, Mr. Lilly said. The hospital board has sold $27 million in general obligation bonds to start the project, and has voter approval to sell an additional $6 million.
The construction timeline is projected at 16 to 17 months, putting completion around September 2026.
In other matters, OHH Administrator Mike Huff announced that the board’s meetings would temporarily move to the Olney Cumberland Presbyterian Church’s fellowship hall, as the hospital’s Education Building will close in mid-December.