Hospital Bond Special Election Passes Easily

Voters overwhelmingly approved the $17 million dollar Southwest Medical Center bond project on Tuesday. Unofficial Special Election Results show that 1,119 (82%) voted ‘Yes’ while just 250 (18%) voted ‘No.

According to the County Clerk’s office the Special Election Canvas will be held March 5, 2010 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Seward County Administration Building. Once the canvas is held the election will become official.

Last Thursday during a presentation SWMC CEO Norm Lambert said that he recently hired a doctor who said that the bond project that includes expansion is perfect for what he is looking for. Lambert said he currently already has two doctors moving to Liberal in the next few months who don’t even have set offices yet due to lack of space.

The hospital wouldn’t have had to hold a special election; however a petition with the proper amount of signatures forced Tuesday’s special election. With the landslide victory SWMC will begin final layout plans for the expansion before having a groundbreaking according to Lambert.