“We continue to believe the best way forward is for them to find common ground.”
Those were the words of Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking on the most recent installment of the Q&A With Trey on KVOE’s Talk of Emporia Monday morning. Cocking was referring to the ongoing situation between Newman Regional Health and Stormont Vail which has been ongoing for well over a year now and developed after Stormont announced plans to open a new medical facility in Emporia.
Cocking’s comments also come exactly a month after he issued a letter, dated July 19, which stated the city is expecting a property annexation request from Stormont later this year. Cocking reiterated Monday that if no agreement were reached between Newman and Stormont by that time, the city would move forward with consideration of Stormont’s request for annexation of property “without the benefit of a joint recommendation.” With that in mind, Cocking stated city leadership believes that the only successful path forward sees Newman and Stormont working together or at least co-existing.
Following the announcement of Stormont’s plans for a new facility in Emporia last year Newman countered with a series of zoning code text changes to the Emporia Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals to block Stormont Vail’s attempts to bring a new multi-million dollar medical facility to the community. Planning commissioners ultimately rendered no decision on the matter and moved it along to the Emporia City Commission after which time mediated discussions between Stormont and Newman began.
Monday, KVOE asked when or if the city is planning to take up that matter to which Cocking replied the city will “not be moving forward” with the text changes in the foreseeable future.
Per Cocking’s letter, Stormont and Newman will have until September 13 to reach an agreement of some kind.
