Clay Board Approves Hospital Improvements

Clay County board members voted this week to hire a Centralia firm for a project at Clay County Hospital.

The Board approved hiring Shores Builders for construction management services. The grant totals $12.1 million. The hospital will provide 20% in matching funds for several projects, including $7.8 million to build a health department on the hospital campus; $5.5 million to build an extension onto the hospital to move all business offices back to the hospital campus with plans to sell the property where the offices are currently located; $1.3 million to redo patients rooms; $417,000 to upgrade dietary coolers; and $70,000 for surgical room renovations.

The Board also heard that the Louisville Clinic is on schedule to open the first week in March.

Board members gave County Engineer Darin Koelm approved to improve the last mile of Hickory Hill Lane and close to a half-mile of work on Butternut Road to accommodate Layers Incorporated chicken farm. IDOT economic development funds will be used on the project.

The Clay board also confirmed appointment of Samantha Weidner to the Clay County 708 Board and Jeremy Kohn to the Southeastern Illinois Economic Development Authority.