Parts of Southeast Arizona Medial Centrer building will turn 100 next year.

“What it means is that parts of that building we currently occupy has seen 100 years of use,” said Hospital CEO Brian Bickel to the Douglas City Council on September 9.

“A lot of the things you don’t see are the problem. Most of the plumbing is made up of old galvanized pipe, problems with heating and cooling.”

SAMC has been looking at relocating at various locations closer to the city, and are still working toward that goal.

Bickel enumerated the reasons the move is necessary during a Powerpoint presentation:

Current facility is old, Poor location, Dangerous location, Technologically obsolete and Extremely inefficient

Bickel said the hospital has reviewed different ways of funding construction of a new facility closer to the community, including the establishment of a hospital taxing district, which would require a vote by the public.

The hospital district would also have to reauthorized periodically by the voters.

It  would require about 20 acres for a campus.

Bickel also pointed out that the hospital plays a very important role in the community past just the healthcare issue.

It provides $9 million in payroll annually, which has a total income impact of $11.2 million in the city of Douglas.

In other action, the council:

Approved a liquor license for Lucia Olivarez-Ochoa for the New Grand restaurant, located at 1119 G Avenue.

Approved the job description and title change for the position of Tourism Specialist. With the addition of language, if acceptable, bi-lingual preferred.

Approved the third reading of an ordinance establishing user fees for the Douglas Parking Lot at 1st Street and Customs Avenue. The hourly rate increases to $2, daily to $8 and weekly to $35.

Tabled for 60 days approval the third reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to accept a donation of real property from the Halpern and Margolis families of unimproved real property identified as Lots 6, 7, 8 and 9, Block D, of the Douglas Terrace Subdivision. The city is continuing to negotiate with other owners of the four properties.

Approved the first reading of Ordinance 09-974 relating  to the Privilege License Tax Adopting the 2009 amendments to the tax code of the city of Douglas by reference, establishing an effective date providing for severability and providing penalties for violations and declaring an emergency.

Under a similar subject, the council also approved  resolution declaring as a public record that “The 2009 Amendment to the Tax Code of the City of Douglas.”