Hospital address to change
St. Luke Hospital and Living Center hopes soon to have a different address.
No, the facility is not relocating. It will remain where it is, in the south part of Marion. But its official address has been 1014 East Melvin, while the main entrance is on Freeborn. So the facility's board of directors, at its October meeting Thursday, agreed to meet with U.S. Postal Service officials to have the "new" address, on Freeborn, sanctioned.
"It'll be easier to find, for out-of-towners, and it's where the main entrance is," board members said.
Steve Atherton, Emporia attorney, will be the board's counsel of record in its negotiations with Quorum Health Services, which plans to take over management of St. Luke sometime next year.
It's nothing against local attorneys, board members were quick to say, but Atherton has experience and expertise in dealing with Quorum, board member Greg Bowers said.
Atherton's appointment was announced after a 30-minute closed session between him and the board.
Bowers, board treasurer, said St. Luke had received a Healthy Fit grant of $14,100.
The board voted 3-2 to charge the Lincolnville Clinic $200 per month rent for the building there. The clinic is open just two half-days per week.
Board President Gene Winkler and board members Kevin Fruechting and Martin Tice voted in favor of this assessment, while board members Bowers and Peggy Blackman voted against it.
The board hopes to engage services of a grant writer with experience and expertise. Blackman said, "We're missing out. There are all kinds of grants out there. We need the services of someone who's doing this as a profession."
