by Rene Leon, Newspaper Tree

County Commissioners on Monday morning approved an agenda item that will allow Thomason Hospital administrators to begin spending on all necessary costs regarding the new children’s hospital slated to be built on the hospital’s land.

Jim Valenti, Thomason CEO, went before the court to break down the costs of the new hospital, which was approved by voters earlier this month on Nov. 6 in a $120 million bond election.

Construction of the hospital will require the biggest spending at nearly $74.4 million, and equipment and fixtures will cost $19.8 million. Fees paid to architects, engineers and other professionals are budgeted at $10.8 million, while another $12.5 million is earmarked for any contingencies. Issuance of the bond and underwriting costs are set at $2.2 million.

Depicted in artist renderings displayed before the court, the new hospital’s ten-story building will be built on the east end of the current hospital. Another building, not shown in the renderings, will be built on the current site of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. In total, those two buildings will house ten floors of the children’s hospital. The basement, ground, second and third floors of the structure on the TTUHSC are set to house facilities for the children’s hospital, as are the basement of ground floor of the new structure on the Thomason site. The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth floors of that building’s will also house facilities for the children’s hospital, such as patient rooms and the neonatology unit.

After the vote, Valenti stated the he was happy with the court’s action, calling the vote to approve construction “an important milestone.” He said the next step in the process would come within the next 60 days when the hospital will select financial advisors and underwriters. And, he added, commissioners will be asked in February to approve the hospital’s bond investment plan.

SCORECARD

Item 12 – Approve and authorize the Human Resources Department to post and qualify two grant writer positions for the County of El Paso.

Approved 4 – 0 on Regular Agenda. Positions will be under authority of County Judge’s Office. Haggerty not present.

Item 41 – Approve El Paso Children’s Hospital Construction Project fr $120 million in accordance with the Bond Election of Nov. 6, 2007.

Approved 4 – 0. Haggerty not present.

Item 42 – Discuss and take appropriate action to schedule public hearing and adoption of resolution to continue taxation of goods in transit on behalf of the El Paso County Hospital District in accordance with the Texas Tax Code Section 11.253.

Item 43. Discuss and take appropriate action to adopt an order taxing good in transit by El Paso County and the El Paso County Hospital District in accordance with Texas Tac Code Section 11.253.

Items 42 and 43 postponed two weeks at request of state Rep. Norma Chavez.

Item 50 – Approve and authorize the Precinct 2 Constable’s Office, through the Purchasing Department, to utilize current budget authorizations for the purchase or lease, as appropriate and cost-effective, of radar equipment for one (1) police vehicle.

Item 56 – Public hearing regarding an order authorizing taxation of goods in transit by El Paso County and the El Paso County Hospital District in accordance with Texas Tax Code Section 11.253.