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By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer

A resolution that would allow the City of Arkansas City to annex land two miles north of town to build a new hospital will go before the County Commission at its next meeting Tuesday, a city commissioner told the South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees today.

"We would like people (from the hospital board) to attend the meeting," said Arleta Rice, city commissioner. "Some people (who live near the new hospital site) are afraid that they, too, will be annexed and this is not the case."

The County Commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday on the first floor of the County Courthouse, 311 E. Ninth Ave., Winfield.

The resolution allowing an "island annexation" was adopted by the City Commission at a recent meeting, said Tamara Niles, city attorney. An island resolution involves land that is not adjoining the city.

Because the land is county land not adjoining city property, the County Commission must approve the resolution first before it goes back to the city for adopting an ordinance to annex the property, Niles said.

The previous owners of the land, the late Don and Wilda Patterson, donated the land for the new hospital project -- with the stipulation that they get payments as long as they were living, Niles noted.

Also at this morning's hospital board meeting:

* Dr. Bob Yoachim, who heads a local physician's group that is investing in the new hospital project, said the physicians are working with architects on the final facility plan.

City Commissioners approved an agreement for the new, for-profit hospital north of Arkansas City at a meeting Jan. 17. The new hospital, called CoVista Medical Center, will replace the 50-year-old SCKRMC facility on Birch Avenue at First Street.

* New officers were chosen for the South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees at its monthly meeting today.

Carol Hearne will be moved from vice chairman to chairman of the board. She succeeds Joe Spiser, who served as chairman of the board for several years. Spiser resigned from the board last month.

Board member Justin Sparks was appointed vice chairman, replacing Hearne in that position. Sid Regnier was appointed secretary of the board, succeeding Phyllis Macy-Mills.

Shawn McGrew will remain as the board's treasurer.

The appointees will begin serving in their new positions starting with next month's board meeting, said Clayton Pappan, the hospital's director of marketing.

* Lance Niles was sworn in as a new board member to take a seat that was vacated after Spiser's resignation.