The first round of money from the Linton Hospital District’s five-mill levy will make it possible for the hospital to make a number of improvements this year.

At its April 22 meeting, the district board approved a list of projects submitted by Linton Hospital Administrator Roger Unger and gave the go-ahead to the hospital to request $65,947.17 in funds from the county. That is the amount that had come in from taxpayers as of April 8. An additional $7,000 is owed by property owners and is delinquent. That money will be allocated to the hospital as it is received by the county.

District Board President Dan Weber said the hospital will pay for each project and then submit a request to the county for reimbursement.

Unger said the biggest project approved was $35,000 to remodel an area in the hospital to house a CT Scanner. The scanner is currently located in a semi-trailer outside the building.

“Under our lease arrangement with the scanner company, we will be receiving a new scanner when the move takes place early this summer,” Unger said.

He said the move will mean the X-Ray equipment, lab and scanner will all be in the same area for the convenience of patients.

Other equipment approved by the district board includes, by department:

•Nursing—11 new toilets, four bed alarms and 11 cubicle curtains.

•Linton Clinic—Diagnostic equipment.

•Central Supply—Computer with printer.

•Business Office—Copier.

•X-Ray—Two computers and a laser printer.

•Dietary—Dishwasher.

•Lab—Analysis equipment.

Unger prepared a list of each department’s requests and prioritized them to come up with the $65,000.

Priorities for the Campbell County Clinic sites in Herreid and Pollock were also prepared and will be paid for from Linton Hospital Foundation funds raised in Campbell County. The hospital district’s mill levy income can only be used for the Emmons County facilities, but the hospital updates also benefit the satellite clinics.

“The funds from the Linton Hospital District are a major boost for us,” Unger said. “We will be able to make some key improvements that we would otherwise not be able to afford at this time.”

He said the income from the district will take the “pressure off” the foundation so that its funds can be used for major emergencies and other larger projects.

The Linton Hospital is one of only two in the state to benefit from a hospital district, with St. Luke’s Hospital at Crosby being the first to receive funds from a district. Several other counties are now looking at creating hospital districts to help rural hospitals and clinics.

Linton Hospital District Board members include Weber, Vice President Kristy LLerenas, Secretary-Treasurer Ardella Deis, Adam Vetter and Ray Feist.