Bids coming in higher than budgeted for Warner Hospital's helipad

Bloomington Pantagraph

By Kevin Barlow

CLINTON -- Preliminary figures for a proposed helipad for the Dr. John Warner Hospital have been higher that originally expected, said hospital CEO Patty Luker at a Board of Directors meeting Monday night.

“We are bidding the process in two stages,” Luker said. “The first stage is the concrete pad only. Those figures are about $3,000 higher than we expected for that part. We still have to bid the electrical portion of the project.”

The targeted budget for the project is $30,000. The cost will be split equally between the city and the hospital.

The board did not take any action on the bids, but Luker said the City of Clinton will discuss the bids at its July 7 meeting. The preliminary figures placed the cost of the concrete pad at around $10,000. Luker said the low bid was around $13,000.

“I talked with (city administrative assistant) Tim Followell and the tentative plan is to pour the concrete pad and then get the bids for the electrical,” Luker said.

The permanent heliport is to be located on a piece of city-owned property located north of the Woodlawn Cemetery in Clinton. Currently, helicopters land on a temporary pad located on Kelly Court. But when the Clintonia Eagle Theater opens this summer, that location will be lost. The pad is expected to be 40-feet-by-40-feet.

Before finalizing the deal, the FAA, IDOT and Clinton City Council must all approve the site.

The board will discuss available options in July.

In other business, board member Carolyn Peters submitted a number of revisions to the hospital’s current by-laws. Board members will study the changes and will take a vote on the new recommendations in July.

Peters has been going through the current by-laws over the course of the last several months.

Luker also said the hospital’s website is due for an upgrade.

“We want to make it more interactive,” Luker said. “This is part of our overall strategic plan and we are making some progress on it and we think it will be a big help in the future.”

Director of Business Development, Sandy Rice, said the site needs some major adjustments.

“So many people are on-line now and we also feel we can add components which will help our staff with education as well,” Rice said.

No timetable was given on when the changes may be in place.