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Hospital bond fails
A solid turnout of more than 2,100 voters Tuesday turned back the Elmore Hospital District's bid to win approval for a $23.5 million hospital expansion project bond.
The district received 59 percent approval from the voters, but needed a two-thirds majority (67 percent) for the bond to pass. The final tally (before the official canvass of votes) was 1,262 voters casting yes votes, and 871 casting no votes.
"We'll have to regroup and take a look at our options," a disappointed hospital administrator Greg Mauer said.
"I guess we have to go back to the community and find out what they want."
Although the hospital board will almost certainly try again at some point in the future to obtain a bond to expand the hospital, the timing of that move is up in the air. "The challenge is," Mauer said, "that now we're behind the school bond."
The school district will seek a similar-sized bond this fall to complete Phase II of its high school project.
"Everybody worked real hard on this," Mauer said, praising his staff.
"I really thought it would pass," said hospital board chairman John Bidageneta.
This was the second attempt by the hospital district to win approval for a hospital expansion bond. Last fall voters defeated a $17 million proposal when that bond effort garnered only 53 percent yes votes.