The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Many have noticed movement in the main street clinic project in downtown Haxtun over the past few weeks. Construction crews have begun phase two of the project after Haxtun Health Board of Directors approved a final contract with Skarco Construction in early May. Phase two of the project includes construction of the interior space of the building.

At the time of the discussion and ultimate approval of the contract with Skarco for the second phase of the clinic project, just two board members held seats on the Haxtun Health Board of Directors due to election timing and the appointment of members in a later, regular May board meeting.

Haxtun Health Board members Rebecca Ensminger and Braden Ham met with project manager Mike Ensminger for early morning meetings on May 8 and May 10 to go over final details of the phase two contract with Skarco.

Mike Ensminger told the two board members that costs have increased 14 percent from the original contract from 10 months ago. He said cost of supplies have drastically increased during COVID.

Before approving the contract two days later on May 10, Julia Biesemeier, Chief Community Relations Officer, gave a presentation on the journey to build the main street clinic. She said phase one was the process of purchasing the site, design and engineering of the project, site demolition, site prep, building the steel structure and purchase of the town shop lot.

Phase two, Biesemeier said, is construction build out of the entire interior space and all building supplies.

The CCRO also gave a recap of funding sources for the $6,300,000 project.

“We have received $3,836,147 in grant funding, $3,800,000 in loan funding and $2,500,000 from Rural Supplemental Support Funds,” she told the board. Biesemeier said to compete the project, Haxtun Health should be able to use only grant funding, meaning zero debt will occur.

“The goal has been, and still is, to build a brand new 10,000 square foot clinic on Main Street and to have no mortgage payment,” Pace told Board members in a later meeting. He thanked the board and administration team for the extra efforts, hours and multiple requests for funds and faith to accomplish the “miracle.”

In a May 24 meeting, Rebecca Ensminger swore in Braden Ham and Darrell Smith as newly elected board members. Ham, who was appointed to fill a vacancy several months ago, will take an official seat on the Board as will new member Darrell Smith. Later, the three voted to appoint returning members Kent Bamford and Rod Salvador to the remaining vacant seats. The two have been serving on the board for several years and will now serve as appointed members until the next election of the Haxtun Hospital District.

Bamford was elected to serve as Chairman, Salvador as Secretary/Treasurer, Rebecca Ensminger as Vice Chairman.

During administrative team reports, Chief Nursing Officer Lea White said that Haxtun Health recently hired six new certified nursing assistants and two new registered nurses. She said she believes recent wage increases and increased health coverage has been beneficial in the application process.

In his report, Pace gave an update to HB 1215, Facility Fees. He said thanks to work by the Colorado Hospital Association, the Eastern Plains Healthcare Consortium, letters and visits to the State Capital, the Facility Fees bill has been significantly reduced form its original form and impact.

“Haxtun Health will be exempt from any direct impact thanks to an exemption included in the bill,” he said. “There are still limited prohibitions on preventative services not covered by insurance when services are offered at larger hospitals on the Front Range but the bill and its impact to us has been essentially thwarted.”