May 19, 2024
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La Salle County Board to consider opposing new Ottawa hospital

County to consider a resolution being voted on Tuesday by Ottawa City Council

By Tom Collins
OSF HealthCare plans to build a new inpatient hospital in Ottawa, the hospital chain announced Wednesday in a news release. The new hospital will be built across the street, south of East Norris Drive (U.S. 6), on a vacant 31-acre plot of OSF-owned land, OSF said in its release. The current OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center was built in the early 1970s and is at the end of its useful life with infrastructure challenges necessitating this decision, the hospital said.

The La Salle County Board has not opposed OSF HealthCare’s plan to demolish the Ottawa hospital and build a new facility, but a resolution likely is to be fast tracked on Thursday. (Scott Anderson)

The La Salle County Board has not opposed OSF HealthCare’s plan to demolish the Ottawa hospital and build a new facility, but a resolution likely is to be fast tracked for a vote on Thursday.

Board member Doug Trager, D-Ottawa, read aloud a just-received resolution – borrowed from the one awaiting a Tuesday vote by the Ottawa City Council – during a Monday meeting of the county’s Committee on Appointments and Legislation and Rules.

Trager’s resolution wasn’t on Monday’s committee agenda, so a vote could not be taken. But during the floor discussion that followed, committee members agreed to host a special meeting at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, a half hour before the full board convenes.

Based on that setting, the full board could discuss and adopt a final resolution.

Committee members generally expressed support for the city and for the overall availability of health care services in La Salle County.

“I think we need to stand with the city of Ottawa,” said board member Jill Bernal, D-Peru.

“I think it is a shame for them to tear down that big building and have less services,” Trager said.

“I think it’s a dramatic cut in healthcare services in our county,” Chairman Don Jensen, R-Deer Park, said. “To say the least I’m puzzled as to why they would do that.”

OSF HealthCare had no immediate comment.

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