Let's hope hospital clears next hurdle as neatly as last

Frontiersman editorial board

About 200 people gathered in the main lobby of Valley Hospital Tuesday to celebrate the completion of a partnership between Valley Hospital Association and Triad Hospitals Inc. The partnership clears the way for the construction of a new, larger facility with more beds, improved services and the potential to expand even further as the need arises.

The need for improved medical care in the Valley has been evident for several years, and many Valley residents have had to travel outside the Mat-Su Borough, either to Anchorage or to Outside hospitals, to obtain some services that simply haven't been available here. Triad brings significant resources to the table, in the form of economic prowess and management expertise, that should help Valley Hospital evolve into the kind of hospital needed in a community of this size.

The transition hasn't been without a few bumps, but most of them have been fairly invisible to the public eye, and quickly resolved. As the partnering process neared its conclusion, some covenants that applied to the existing hospital in Palmer proved to be something of an obstacle. VHA brings its staff and its net worth to the table as its contribution to the partnership. All told, VHA's contribution amounts to about 24 percent of the total worth of the partnership. The current facility was part of that contribution. A covenant on the existing property, that required it be used only for functions that benefited the community, limited the potential selling value of the property. After some wrangling, the city of Palmer agreed to lift the covenant -- for a fee that contributed to its 2003 budget surplus. Though the deal leaves the eventual fate of the current facility unknown, it did help the partnership clear a major hurdle, and all parties seem to have gained in the process.

The next major challenge comes in the form of water and sewer service for the new facility. It is yet to be decided whether Palmer or Wasilla will provide that service, and each city has expressed interest in it. A large federal grant is at stake, and the path the water and sewer lines follows will likely have significant impact on the shape of growth in the Valley.

The battle for the grant has had its share of ups and downs. Some say there was a tacit agreement that the borough would conduct a study and, based upon the results, a recommendation would be made to either award the grant to Wasilla or Palmer. Others say hands were never shaken on such a deal, and certainly there is nothing in writing either way. In the meantime, the city of Wasilla lobbied for favorable language in a federal appropriations bill, and the original language did, indeed favor Wasilla. A lobbyist for VHA said the language has now been changed, and that no decision has yet been made.

We hope the final decision about the sewer and water service is based upon solid research and upon what is best for the future of our community, not upon the rhetoric and assurances of lobbyists. We urge all parties to expend the necessary energy to reach the best decision for the entire Valley. The joint venture is intended to benefit all of us, and we all should share equally in its benefits and burdens.