Health Care Authority Holds First Meeting

Members of Grove's new Health Care Trust Authority have elected officers and set a meeting schedule for the future, agreeing that their mission would be to come up with ideas to assist in raising funds for a new Grove Integris Hospital, estimated to cost $58 million.

At Monday's meeting, Gary Trippensee was elected chairman; Randy Hamil vice chairman, and the group appointed Bonnie Buzzard, City Clerk, as secretary. A budget of $200,000 has been proposed, but not approved, for the group. Final council budget approvals are slated for the June 19 meeting.

"All options and ideas are on the table, it is incumbent on this board to look at all the possibilities during this window of opportunity," board member Terry Ryan said. A possible presentation by Rick Smith, Municipal Financial Services, is set for May 17.
Regular meetings of the group are proposed for the first Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m.

The hospital has proposed a city contribution of $5 million and says $2 million of it has already been raised or pledged.

After the meeting, audience member Judith Read questioned the possible conflict of interest of board member Dr. Rene Russell, who said she was chairman of the hospital foundation.