Although there will be an item on next month's Jackson County Hospital Board of Trustees agenda to ratify the purchase of the old nursing home building located to the west of the hospital, the purchase has been questioned by the County Commissioners.
JCMH’s CEO Bill Wilson said that he was given a directive by the board several years to try and acquire land around the hospital as it became available.
“This is one of those circumstances,” said Wilson. “I know that Commissioner (Dale) Dunn has made it known that he thinks there should be a specific motion made on this, but the board has known we have been looking at this property for some time,” Wilson said, “but if a motion needs to be made before the final purchase, then that’s what will be done.”
Wilson said that the owners of the nursing home first approached him a year and a half ago. “They said at that time that the facility was worth $1 million - but that is if was being used for a nursing home. We wouldn’t.” Wilson explained that they have had several environmental studies done to identify asbestos threats, etc., and have found the cost to be too high.
An auction was recently held at which time Wilson, along with CFO Jim King, decided the $20,000 price they could get the property for was worth it.
“We would have to tear the building down, but whether it would be used for new construction or just for additional parking isn’t known at this time,” Wilson said.
An abstract and title items on the property are currently being cleared up with by Chris Wray.
Wilson said that the board has always been updated on purchases around the hospital as they have become available as part of the hospital’s master plan.
Other property purchase around the hospital includes the land to the north that houses the new Cancer Center as well as a large parking area, houses on the southwest corner of the hospital that house the Senior Perspectives, and buildings to the south that houses the Sleep Center, Physicians Billing, JCMH Scanner and additional parking.
Dunn could not be reached for comment, but Commissioner Carey Carrell said that their office was looking into the matter.
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