KERHD 2010 budget

On Tuesday, March 16, 2010, the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District announced the adoption of its $5.5 million 2010 budget. The budget includes $886,000 in capital expenditures.

John Kettle, KERHD Board Chair, is happy and says this budget is good news for citizens of the region. “We will be focusing on new equipment and facility upgrades which will improve patient care and we have been able to do this without increasing taxes”. The 2010 budget actually represents a 2.6% tax decrease over the 2009 budget.

Included in the projects are:

• replacing the cooling tower for the Creston Valley Hospital
• a physiological monitor for the Creston Valley Hospital
• a new CT scanner for the East Kootenay Regional Hospital (Cranbrook)
• a new ultrasound machine for the EKRH
• upgrading the laundry access ramps and installing some card locks at EKRH

Construction on the Invermere Hospital Emergency Room Upgrade Project will continue as planned.

The average tax rate for the KERHD will be about $22 per $100,000 per property. Tax notices will also continue to include a levy to pay off debt incurred before January 1996, which will be about $1.30 per $100,000 per property.

The Hospital District provides up to 40% of the funding for equipment and construction projects at health care facilities in its area, with the remaining funding being covered by Interior Health.

For more information regarding the 2010 budget, you may contact John Kettle, Board Chair, Kootenay East Regional Hospital District at 250-428-5497.

Related links:

• Highlights from the hospital district board meeting of March 5, 2010
http://media.columbiavalley.com/docs/2010/03/kerhd-2010-03-05-highlights.pdf