Commissioners for King County Hospital District No. 4 presented their plans to fund a new campus on Snoqualmie Parkway, and were asked some tough questions in turn by hospital critics.
All five commissioners – Dick Jones, Fritz Ribary, Dave Speikers, Joan Young and Kevin Hauglie – joined Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson, Bellevue Community College Vice President Laura Saunders and Snoqualmie Valley Community Network Director Kristy Sullivan on a panel Tuesday, May 6 at Snoqualmie Middle School. The panel took part in a presentation by hospital staff on the current financial picture of the hospital, as well as plans to build and fund the new campus at Interstate 90 and the parkway.
“We have a lot of students in this area,” Saunders said. “We are looking for ways of fanning out our services over our entire district, so we can provide education and training close to home.”
Bellevue Community College has not made an official decision to locate a branch campus at Snoqualmie.
During a hospital staff presentation on how patient visits are increasing over past years, hospital Chief Financial Officer Don Galer touted figures that show revenue growth from providing services is now dwarfing funds the hospital receives from taxes. According to Galer, the district owes under $30 million in bond debt.
Bill Angle, representing Edmonds-based Public-Private Development Solutions, talked about the advantages of a new hospital plan to use tax-exempt financing, in partnership with a private organization, to build their new campus.
The approach the hospital is proposing, Angle said, saves time and allows governments substantial savings.
“I’m very impressed,” Larson said. “This is a very viable and great way to proceed.”
Criticism
Hospital critics lambasted the meeting as an “informercial,” saying their three-minute allotment to speak didn’t stack up favorably with the hour-long presentation by hospital staff. Critics questioned whether the community actually wants a new hospital, and one raised concerns over whether the district has adequately notified residents of special meetings.
Critics also questioned the hospital’s financial future, and asked what would happen if the hospital was unable to pay its lease.
Snoqualmie resident Pat Busby commented that he hadn’t seen that such creative financing since the home mortgage crisis.
“After closing down twice, how are they going to do this a third time?” asked Louise Martin of Fall City.
“I’m the devil’s advocate here and I’m going to be very provocative,” said Snoqualmie resident Mike Peterson, who was able to address the board twice, after another speaker gave up his three minutes to allow him to speak.
“There’s been no survey or vote taken to see what the taxpayers want,” he said.
“I insist the board refrain from taking action regarding financing options for a new hospital, because the new hospital is predicated on the sale of the current hospital,” Peterson said. Notice of that meeting was posted the day prior to the meeting at area post offices, but Peterson argued that the flyers are not an accepted notice, “as I and others understand it.”
“Each of our meetings have been noticed properly,” replied hospital attorney Jay Rodne. “The state auditor looked at each of our meeting notices, and there’s been no finding of any impropriety with respect to the Open Public Meetings Act.”
Also during the meeting, several speakers supported the plan.
“The services that are available don’t match the growth,” said Fall City resident Tina Speikers, who is married to board member David Speikers. “I really think we need to embrace the growth. Give us a new hospital.”
It was estimated that between 75 and 100 people attended last Tuesday evening’s meeting.
