The hospital portion of the operation was acquired by HMC/CAH Consolidated Inc. and is now known at Hillsboro Community Hospital.
Schlehuber said state requirements are different for an independent care home than they are for a specialized care unit of a hospital.
Specifically, Salem Home was needing to fix some flooring issues that were cited in a previous inspection, revamp the shower and bath area, and provide a ?quiet room? that residents can use for private visits and phone conversations.
Schlehuber said Salem Home had recently received its provisional license from the Kansas Department of Aging, but would need to make the structural changes before it would receive a permanent license.
The funds will come from from the PBC, which was created to hold ownership of the buildings and maintain them as well as to pay for equipment purchases.
Schlehuber said it was possible that additional funds may be needed for more changes, but the expenditure would be a fraction of what they needed for these initial projects. The council approved the request with little discussion.
Additional funding
The council also approved City Administrator Larry Paine?s request to increase the city?s investment by up to $20,000 to prepare space within the city-owned AMPI building for the new welding program being launched next month by Butler Community College.
The council had previously approved spending up to $40,000 for improvements that included heating, air-conditioning and ventilation.
Other business
In other business, the council:
n approved a total expenditure of about $30,000 for two street projects proposed by Street Superintendent Dale Dalke: (1) re-grouting and resealing the concrete streets in Hillsboro Heights; (2) applying an oil ?rejuvenator? on the downtown section of Main Street to extend the life .
Both projects are to be completed during 2008.
n stated its ?agreement? with the Marion County Strategic Plan but delayed approving the resolution that would officially approve it. Mayor Delores Dalke said she felt the council needed some clarification about whether one requirement within the plan was written according to state guidelines.
n accepted the auditor?s report for the 2007 budget year as presented by Jan Nolde from the firm of Swindol, Janzen, Hawk and Loyd.
n approved the renewal of a liquor license for R&D Liquor.
n was alerted by Paine that the McPherson Area Solid Waste Utility will be raising its rate for recycling service by 3.5 percent. The effect will be an increase in the recycling fee on local utility bills from $1.80 to $1.85 per month, beginning in January.
n approved pay estimates for the sewer-lagoon project of $162,654 to APAC-Kansas Inc. for construction work and $22,605 to Evans, Bierly, Hutchison & Associates for engineering and inspection fees.
