VHA election deadline today

PALMER -- Today is the last day for new members to join Valley Hospital Association (VHA) in time to vote in the special election to decide whether VHA can enter into a joint venture with Dallas, Texas-based Triad Hospitals Inc. Hospital board members voted unanimously to put the question to VHA's members in September. VHA memberships expire each year on Dec. 31 and all members who are signed up for 2002 before 4 p.m. today should receive a ballot in the mail for the special election.

If members approve the joint venture, VHA management and Triad will enter into negotiations to create a new company in order to build a new 75-bed hospital. Valley Hospital currently has 39 beds. Triad is expected to invest approximately $75 million in the joint venture, according to VHA press

releases.

VHA will continue to exist as a non-profit under the deal and would own a percentage of the new hospital based on its current assets, which are estimated to be between $15 million and $25 million. Third party evaluators will determine the actual value of VHA's assets before the negotiations are final. Regardless of how much ownership VHA retains, the nonprofit will be able to seat 50 percent of the members of the joint venture's board of directors, according to hospital management.

Any Mat-Su Borough resident is eligible to become a member and vote in the VHA election by filling out an

application and paying a $5 annual membership fee.

Applications are available at the front desk at Valley Hospital in Palmer, at AIC Medical Clinic in Valley Hospital Medical Center in Wasilla, or on the Internet at www.valley-hosp.com.

Ballots for the special election will be mailed out on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and must be returned by U.S. mail and received by the registrar by the end of business on Friday, Nov. 8. The results of the election will be announced at a general membership meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14.