The Mail-Journal, Volume 6, Number 20, Milford, Kosciusko County, 18 June 1969 — Page 11
Fads Concerning Not-For-Profit Hospital For Kosciusko County
The following list of facts, ques tions and answers most frequentlj raised regarding the new Kosciusko Community Hospital are set forth here presenting the Board of Directors’ official position on many of the vital questions regarding the hospital. This paper has been prepared for the benefit of petition carriers, board members, the group of 90 comprising the Kosciusko Community Hospital membership and all other interested persons. Question: I am confused, why a new hospital? Answer: The Area Health Facilities Planning Council has a survey taken in 11965 by a recognized hospital consulting firm, Herman Smith Associates of Chicago. This survey and the firm that conducted it were approved by the Directors of Murphy Medical Center and by the doctors of the area before it was conducted. The survey clearly indicates that Kosciusko county meeds a new voluntary, not for profit, hospital in order to keep pace with needed hospital facilities. Question: Who decided we need a new hospital and on what basis? Answer: I. Actually there have been four separate groups whd have studied in depth the health facilities of our community. A. The Area Health Facilities Planning Council. This group was the outgrowth of the original Murphy Medical Center Community Council. B. The original Kosciusko Community Hospital Board. This board was formed by the Area Health Facilities Planning Council. C. The selected committee appointed by the Kosciusko
SHOPPING FOR CARPET? Ask Charles and Eleanor Price, RFD No. 3, Syracuse How They Like Their’s From . . . ATZ FURNITURE LIGONIER, INDIANA John Howard Dale Josephine Faye Atz Weade Hayes Lawson Doll
/ Barth / Steury , Ve ” , Y Olt t / / / ■' / jsCj Jf 4 eil JSS: . . . . for the public response at our Grand W 1 Opening and Open 1’ || W j aSf • House on Friday, I ||R||« Saturday and Sunday, ' W Ta 'W "W ‘ ' ‘ June 6,7 & 8 kJ Please . . . Visit Us > s . Again And Have A Leisurely Look At Our Line Os Trailers And Campers. Treesh Trailot Sales and Service Glen and Jean Treesh R. R. 2 — MILFORD HWY. 15, SOUTH
County Commissioners in June of 1968. D. The present Kosciusko Community Hospital Board. 11. The basis for the decision reached by each group has been the firsthand information gathered by the committee and a comprehensive survey conducted by the firm of Herman Smith Hospital Consultants of Chicago. This survey was conducted by the Area Health Facilities Planning Council and was paid for from funds received by the County Medical Society in the Polio Immunization Program. Question: Why build a new hospital? Why not buy Murphy Medical Center and add on? Answer: The best advice received from professional consultants indicate that the present structure is not suitable for a heavy capital investment. Even if funds were available for this use, Mrs. Murphy would have to agree to sell. The money that will be derived from the proopsed bond issue, by law, can be used only to build a new hospital. Question: How will the financing of the new hospital work and will it continue to cost the taxpayers? Answer: Financing plans call for a $2,000,000 bond iissue authorized by the county commissioners under special statutes of the State of Indiana that provide this means of financing the cost of a new hospital. In addition to the $2,000,000 approximately $1,000,000 to $1.3 million is expected from the federal government in the form of Hill-Burton funds. (Hill-Burton funds are grants — not loans.) An additional amount will be.raised from memorials
and bequests. The $2,000,000 bond issue will be repaid from, revenue derived from assessments in the county property tax. Under the 1968 evaluation this would have amounted to approximately $4 per family per year. This is based upon an estimated 13c addition to the tax levy to amortize the cost of the bonds. Looking to the future, increases in the total assesed valuation in the county will actually reduce the cost per family per tax year. The provisions of the law under which the $2,000,000 bond issue is granted states specifically that the funds may be used for building and equipping a hospital only. Under no circumstances, either at this time or in the future, may funds from this source be used to meet payroll or other day-to-day expenses of the hospital. If at sometime in the future the hospital would fail to operate at a profit for one or more years, it would not be possible for the hospital board to request additional funds from Kosciusko county to make up that deficit under this law. Question: Will the proposed tax rate always be 13c per hundred dollars? Answer: No. In all likelihood it will DECREASE substantially in the future as the total assessed valuation within the county increases. Question: flow long will the tax run? Answer: The proposed tax is extended over a period of 20 years at which time the constructioncost bonds will be paid off and the tax will then end. The state law that enables this type of bond issue will not permit any further bond issue for operating costs. On the basis of nationwide experience, a hospital of the size proposed will be able to support itself and accumulate enough revenue to take care of normal needed expansions. This means it will not need any further funds. Question: Does the farmer pay most of the Real Estate Tax? Answer: Absolutely not. Approximately 70% of the total Real Estate and Personal Property taxes in Kosciusko county coine from business and industry. Less than 30% of the total taxes come from
individual homeowners and farmers. While there is no specific information available on the tax records, it is safe to assume that the taxes paid by individual homeowners exceeds in total the amount paid by all farmers within the county. A conservative statement would therefore be that the farmers pay less than 15% of the real estate and personal property taxes paid in Kosciusko county. It is interesting to note that one industry alone pays more personal property taxes per year than is received from 10 of the 17 townships within the county. Question: Why not build the hospital with contributions? Answer: Because of the urgency and because of the rapidly rising building costs, the fairest and most economical method was to use a combination of bond issue, a federal grant, and contributions. This successful pattern is followed by other progressive communities throughout the country and therefore is not unique in this respect. Question: Why should people not intending to use the hospital contribute in taxes? Answer: For the same reason that those people who do not have children in school pay school taxes which in most townships are more than 30 times the proposed hospital construction needs. People in the outer fringes of the county who go to surrounding county hospitals art in essence getting a free ride from taxes and are causing some burden to the surrounding counties that must provide for them. The neighboring counties and their hospital administrators are among the most avid boosters of a new hospital facility in Kosciusko county. Civic minded people often contiibute or pay taxes for services from which they do not personally benefit. Question: Are there strings attached to the Federal Hill-Burton grant? Answer: The Hill Burton grant requires certain federal specifications on building requirements but these requirements are exceeded by the code of the Indiana State Board of Health. The same Indiana State Board of Health has given approval for a second htapital in Kosciusko tyQuestion: Where will the new hospital be located? Answer: This has not been determined as yet. It will be a difficult decision since many factors are involved that perhaps do not ordinarily come to mind; such as proximity to access roads, railroads, or other noise-producing areas, sewer and water facilities, proper zoning in regards to residential and commercial locations as well as adequate space for expansion and parking. Consultants who can look objectively at these problems will be most helpful in
As seen in McCALL’S, REDBOOK. ' - ' TT"“ 7?" igife ' jßhf 'Sc 'V'' '' ■' • 'S :'y —B h ' (K '<4Bb Ow a aJ i | Ifnlßk .( Jal ■ IwEWWBSEa f Fashion security plus the ever-lovin’ comfort that’s natural to Cobblers. Two new highrise fashions with squared toes and stacked heels. Left, “Cross Stitch,” hand-woven. Right, “Lock,” rnetal trim. White, bone, black, sizes 3’i thru 12 brown and red. $14.00 AAA thru EEE Doug Pilcher Shoe Store Uptown Syracuse — Since 1947
making the final decision. Question: How do you determine size and design of a new hospital? Answer: Surveys and projections made by the State Board of Health and professional consultants provide the basis for determination. The Kosciusko Community Hospital Board has employed the firm of Herman Smith to act as consultant iin determining the overall concept of the new hospital. The firm of Fleck, Burkart & Shropshire has been selected to do the architectural work. They will be responsible for preparing all working drawings as well as supervising all construction work. Question: Who will run the new hospital? Answer: The Board of Directors will establish the policies under which the hospital will operate and the adminiistrator will be responsible for the actual operation. Under the plan set forth by the selected committee appointed by the county commissioners, 17 township trustees appoint five people from their township to serve as members of the corporation. In addition, the Warsaw City Council appoints five people to serve. Each of these groups of five then select one of its members to serve on the board of directors. The three county commissioners each selected one from the original group of 90 to serve on the board. The county council has the right to select two members for seats on the board of directors. These llwo members need not be from the group of 90. The board of directors in turn then select four additional people from the group of 90. This completes the membership of 27 board members. Question: How can you staff a new hospital with both doctors and nurses when there are not enough available now? Answer: Unfortunately we have lost professional people over the past several years. Reasons for this loss have been attributed to the difficult relationship with the present hospital. Regardless if this is the case or not, the fact remains that we have lost these people. We have been assured that with a community hospital, new interest will be expressed in our community by professional people. An administrator will be employed before or shortly after construction begins and it will be his responsibility to staff the new hospital. The Kosciusko County Medical Society has been seeking new doctors, both specialists and general practitioners for the past several years and has found that many high quality physicians have chos. en not to come to Warsaw because it is known state-wide that Warsaw has hospital problems. County doctors feel that a new hospital facility will attract a type of physician we need for a
progressive medical community. Question: Will the new hospita become an accredited hospital? Answer: Every effort will be made by the board of directors, administrators and medical stafl of the new hospital to obtain accreditation. According to Dr. Kenneth Babcock, former chairman of the Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation, approximately 75% of the effort towards accreditation is contributed by the medical staff. The medical staff would continue to work hard for accreditation as they have in the past six years in which Murphy Medical Center has been accredited. Question: When will the new hospital be built? Answer: The tentative timetable is as follows: May 1969 — County Commissioners and County Council approved bond issue. June 1969 — Official application for Hill-Burton funds filed with the Indiana State Board of Health. October 1969 — Site selected. General plans approved. May 1970 — Final plans approved. Bids let. June 1970 — Construction started. Summer 1972 — Construction completed. Hospital ready for occupancy. Question: What will happen to Murphy Medical Center? Answer: This is a question that can really only be answered by Mrs. Murphy. There are several avenues of endeavor that should be both available and remunerative. There is a need for an adequate long-term health policy that would relieve emergency bed pressure. Mrs. Murphy at one time indicated that she intended to institute a group practice team of physicians. Other areas also remain open and Mrs. Murphy has the option. Question: I live in Syracuse — Milford — Mentone — Silver Lake. Why should I want a new hospital and why should I help pay for it? Answer: Even though at present you are leaving the county for your hospital care, you could very well change with a new hospital. Surrounding hospitals are extremely busy and will continue to serve their own communities. The new hospital in Kosciusko county will be built to serve all of its citizens and since the lowest means of financing is the county bond issue, all of the citizens will be assessed their share. "New physicians coming to the community may not follow previous patterns and be attracted to a new hospital, consequently it is reasonable to assume that the usage of a new hospital by county residents will increase sharply. Question: Why the controversy? Answer: We don’t know. The new hospital was recommended by a recognized consultant approved by the board of directors
Wed., June 18, 1969 —THE MAIL-JOURNAL
> fl H, e v-JI Ulka 14 MRS. HARRY W. HART
Michele Miller And Harry Hart Wed In Candlelight Ceremony
The marriage of Miss Michele Miller and Harry W. Hart was solemnized at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, in a candlelight ceremony in the St. Andrew’s United Methodist church at Syracuse. Rev. Noble W. Greene, for. merly of Syracuse, officiated. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richarcy Miller of Syracuse. Parents of the bridegroom are Mr. and Mrs. Wesley E. Hart of Grand Island, Neb. Victorian Style Gown The bride’s gown, which was copied from her grandmother’s wedding dress, was of Victorian styling fashioned of white Swiss embroidered cotton batiste inserted with narrow bands of lace. of Murphy Medical Center as well as the medical staff and the Area Health Facilities Planning Council. The present board of directors of Kosciusko Community Hospital, Inc., is a gropp of civic minded citizens who have put much time and study on the economics of constructing such a hospital and they have recommended the proposed bond issue. In total, seven years of study have been made on this question requiring great amounts of time and energy which has been given unselfishly by civic-minded volunteers. The doctors of the area likewise approved the findings of the survey and have pledged to support its conclusions.
\\ / \ "vfl \ \i JuH This you just turn on ■ " ’69 TORO KEY-LECTRIC... a great new start It’s available on any model you want to go with. Imagine, you start with a key! (19” KEY-LECTRIC) or move up all the way to the 21” POW-R-DRIVE with KEY-LEC-TRIC starter. The battery charger keeps you starting for years, too, and each charge gives you up to 80 starts. O Trust a TORO. TroubleX VIXi-Vz f ree a s mowing can be. •Manufacturer's suggested retail P"®*- . t Exclusive trade nemes of Toro Manufacturing Corp. Complete Line Os Other Toro Mowers Baumgartner’s Standard Service We Service What We Sell Road 15 North, Milford
The gown featured a high collared neckline and full length modified leg-o-muttorr sleeves fastened with tiny self-covered buttons. Old-fashioned cotton beading edged the neckline, Empire bodice, and the chapel train. Her full length veil of illusion was secured by a headband of the embroidered batiste. She wore an old- fashioned gold locket which was a gift of the bridegroom and carried an arm bouquet of white daisies and baby’s breath. Attending the bride was Miss Kay Nemyer of Fort Wayne, ■who wore a full length yellow dotted Swiss dress of the same period, and a wide brimmed brown straw hat banded with daisies and with yellow streamers falling to the waist. She carried a natural straw basket filled with yellow and white daisies. Serving as best man was Paul Sandy of Old Lyme, Conn. Ushers wece Bruce Tuthill and Jack McCaleb of Old Lyme and Tom Milleft of Fort Wayne. Appropriate music was provided by organist, Mrs. Jerald Longenecker. A lawn reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents immediately following the ceremony. After a trip through the eastern states the couple will be at home at 352 Willetts Av>e„ Waterford, Conn.
3