When a final platt for a new $45 million medical facility comes before Emporia City Commissioners for final action next month, it will do so with a positive recommendation from the Emporia Metropolitan Area Planning Commission.
Planning Commissioners voted to recommend approval of the final platt for property at 1700 Road G, owned by Stormont Vail, 6-1. Commissioner Larry Bucklinger provided the lone no-vote, the same vote he offered for the preliminary platt back in February.
Bucklinger expressed concerns in February of traffic in the area and the high volume of traffic the facility would bring with it as a main reason for his no vote. He tells KVOE News those concerns have not changed and so neither did his vote Tuesday.
Reversing her decision from February was Commissioner Liliian Lingenfelter, who voted against the preliminary platt but in favor of the final platt. In February, Lingenfelter stated she “played out the scenario long-term” and noted she had concerns about the “long-term” implications of the matter, which led to her no vote.
Tuesday, Lingenfelter says she was simply voting on the matter before her and not on the future.
With Tuesday’s action, the matter will now go before the Emporia City Commission on June 18 for final consideration. Throughout this saga with the Stormont property, residents have expressed concerns regarding transparency as to what services may be provided through the new medical facility.
Specifically, what has been called “duplicative” services, which Newman Regional Health representatives have stated could negatively impact the hospital financially. During the monthly Q&A With Trey Tuesday morning, City Manager Trey Cocking addressed those concerns and stated the city and Stormont Vail have been actively working on a development agreement to consider before building permits would be issued for the facility.
While the agreement is still in the “draft phase,” Cocking says Stormont will not be permitted to provide any surgical services for at least five years per previous discussions.
Additional services, such as imaging, have also been a concern expressed by opposition to the facility. At this time, there is no word on if imaging services would be included in the development agreement.
In attendance Tuesday for the meeting was Stormont Vail Associate General Counsel Tony Schultz, who declined to comment to local media. No representatives of Newman Regional Health were in attendance for the meeting.
KVOE News has reached out to Newman leadership for comment.
The Emporia Metropolitan Area Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals will reconvene for its monthly meeting in June.
