When the Watonga City Council met December 19 for its last regular meeting of the year, it faced a hefty agenda.
There were several housekeeping items, such as approval of the meeting schedule for council for 2024, generally adhering to the third Tuesday in each month. Council approved the holiday schedule for the city employees, with 14 holidays recognized.
It also adopted a resolution dealing with accounting for the $498,547 the city received in American Rescue Plan Act – ARPA—funds. The public works authority had to adopt the same resolution.
But there were also several more in-depth items up for discussion, some of them proving a sticky wicket.
Mercy Clinic, in the person of Kristy Houck, was there to discuss the city’s indication it would not renew Mercy’s lease on the clinic property on Weigle Avenue.
The city’s point was the building needs too much work at too high a cost to be feasible considering the rent money the building brings in.
Houck pointed out that Mercy has long made all needed repairs to the building, other than a leak under the city sidewalk nearby. Mayor Bill Seitter wondered if Mercy would take ownership of the building and then be responsible for the repairs. Houck replied that was how the partnership has operated for many years, but Seitter was concerned about the wording of the lease. He wondered if the health care provider would be open to renegotiating the lease.
At the crux of the discussion is the need to replace some stained ceiling tiles in the space. The leak that caused the stains was repaired, but the city is worried if the tiles are removed, once that ceiling is opened, it could uncover multiple issues that require expensive repairs.
In many instances, healthcare facilities are subject to different standards than regular office space or housing. If an update is undertaken, it is often not enough to return things to their original condition, but rather they must be brought up to the standards of care in place at the time the update is made.
Houck pointed out the clinic could not relocate inside the city within six months. There are no suitable locations and renovating a location could cost upwards of a half million dollars.
“This could lead to us not being able to practice medicine in the community,” she said. She wondered if there was a reason to prohibit the clinic from renewing the lease.
Seitter, for his part, wondered if Mercy would be willing to purchase the property. Houck said she would approach Mercy about it.
That property would likely include the old hospital, which is in much worse shape than the clinic building. The two, although not connected, are very close together and it would be tricky to demolish the hospital without damaging the clinic building.
Council member Tina Willis, for her part, thought out loud Mercy should buy the property, tear down both buildings and construct a new clinic on the site.
“The people deserve an upgraded clinic,” she said. “I want new, I’m tired of the old.”
Houck agreed that would be nice, but there were other considerations.
“I’m just asking people to start looking at it,” Willis clarified.
Council member Ryan Bruner summed up the discussion, saying the city should reword the lease agreement to suit both sides of the matter, and they would both look at a sale down the road. Seitter added he would like the sale to be in the forefront of the discussion, because it was in the best interest of the city.
“My goal is to make sure my patients and my providers have a place to practice medicine,” Houck said.
The council instructed city attorney Jared Harrison to re-word the lease for the upcoming term and include a sale proposal to be presented at the next city council meeting. The property would have to be surplused by the city before it could be sold.