Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Voters Agree To Let Hospital Building, Property To Be Sold

Voters in Nevada County voiced their opinion on what to do with the defunct Nevada County Hospital loud and clear in the Jan. 9, 1996 special election.

With the margin 1,222 to 293, the public said sell the facility.

Local officials are thrilled with the vote, as is the president of the hospital's board of governors.

County Judge John Barham, Nevada County Economic Development Office executive director Jim Sharkey and Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor all said there has been some interest shown by entities wanting to purchase the hospital.

Barham said the Nevada County Quorum Court is looking to let the bid on the hospital building and the administrator's house at first.

According to a recent survey of the grounds, the hospital is a 44,835 square foot building sitting on 10.5 acres. The administrator's house is a brick structure on 1.35 acres.

Barham said the grounds were broken into three parcels for the survey.

The hospital equipment, according to the county judge, will go with the building and grounds.

Appraisers from the state will be in town Thursday to begin their work on finding the value of the hospital, grounds and equipment. Once this is complete, the county can then let for bids. However, for a bid to be considered, it must be at least 75 percent of the appraised value or the county, by law, will not be allowed to sell it.

In addition, Barham said the county is reserving the right to reject any and all bids on the property. This is being done, he said, to make sure the county gets something it wants to locate in the area, and not something which could be detrimental to the area.

"I'm happy with the way people voted," Barham said. "They realized we need to do something with the building and voted that way."

Sharkey, in talking about the election, said it's the county's building and the court is in control. "I'm pleased to be allowed to go ahead and market the building," he said.

"It's obviously not serving anyone's purpose sitting there vacant. Now, the city and county will have the opportunity to get a new tenant."

Sharkey is working on a package giving details of the facility, including a floor plan. This will be available for anyone interested in bidding on the structure and grounds.

In addition, he is working with the Arkansas Industrial Development Council to get the package together.

Sharkey said there have been three inquiries made to his office concerning the old hospital.

Once the facilities have been appraised, Sharkey will advertise for bids throughout the state and on his web page on the Internet.

"I think we'll have some serious bidders," he said. "But not all of them will work through this office. Some will go through the hospital administrator. I have no idea who she's been contacted by."

Mitchell said he was pleased with the vote, and is ready to move to the next phase.

"No one else will put a hospital in there," he said. "The Arkansas Department of Health told us it would cost more to do that than to build a new one.

"We (the hospital board) sent a message to the quorum court we'd like to see the hospital sold and they take the proceeds and pay off the debts. I think with what they sell it for and what we're collection, there should be enough to pay everyone off."

Taylor said this is something that should have been done when the hospital first closed, referring to the special election to sell it.

He, too, has been contacted by people interested in purchasing the building. "People are looking," he said.

"I hope we dispose of it and get something with jobs. The county doesn't need it (the building)."

Justice of the Peace from District 2, Willie Wilson, said he is totally pleased with the vote.

"We were really pushing for it," he said. "We look forward to someone coming in and purchasing the building. I understand there are several prospects."

Wilson said he supports the sale of the facility, but hopes at some time in the future there will be some type of 24-hour emergency care facility established in Prescott.

He said the hospital board should remain intact for now, and once all issues have been addressed and resolved, the board be dissolved.

The sales tax which was used to help fund the hospital remains in effect, according to Taylor. He said it is bringing in about $250,000 annually.

Taylor said he hopes the tax remains in place so work can be done in the city. "There is no deadline on it," he said. "It was dedicated to the hospital while it was open."

The tax is currently being used to do street work, sidewalk repair and improve lighting downtown. "I want to use it in a way the public will benefit from it," Taylor said of the tax. "I hope we can improve our image and clean up the city (with it)."

Barham said he is unsure of how long it will take to get the hospital, house, equipment and property appraised.

However, conservative estimates are the facility should be ready to go to bid by late February or sometime in March.

There could be a new owner of the defunct Nevada County Hospital as early as April or May.