Veterans Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees meets for final time in 2024; New board members sworn in, revenue bond approved for facility improvements
Newly-elected VMH Board of Trustees members sworn in ... Six of the seven members of the Veterans Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees newly elected to their positions in the November General Election were recently sworn into office by Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer (far right in the photo above). Left to right in the above photo of the swearing-in ceremony are Ron Osterholm, John Ellingson, Dawn Clark, Dennis Lyons, Larry Schellhammer and Patty Nordheim. Not pictured is fellow newly-elected board member Dennis Koenig. Submitted photo.
by Brianne Grimstad
The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Board of Trustees met Tuesday, December 17 for its monthly meeting, and its final meeting for the year 2024. Outgoing board members Greg Lage, Kevin Hanson and Dave Weymiller were thanked for serving on the board and the work they’ve done for the hospital. Those three board members did not seek re-election in this past November’s election.
Six of the seven board members who were newly-elected in the November General Election, Ron Osterholm, John Ellingson, Dawn Clark, Dennis Lyons, Larry Schellhammer and Patty Nordheim, were sworn in at the meeting by Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer. Those newly-elected Board of Trustees members also include Dennis Koenig, but he was not able to be present for this swearing-in ceremony and will have that official action taken at a later date.
During the December meeting, the board also had a breakfast with all the VMH providers, allowing for everyone to meet and mingle and get to know each other. The sole agenda item for this month’s meeting was a $6 million revenue bond financing item, which was approved.
VMH will be partnering with UMB Bank of Kansas City, MO as the underwriter for the bond. VMH Administrator Michael Coyle explained that funds from this bond will assist with the cost of the hospital’s EPIC electronic health care records transition and also updating and improving infrastructure at VMH.
Coyle noted that this bond will cover things like heating system boilers, patient beds, circulating pumps, IT equipment, a new roof and HVAC system, and new showers in patient rooms. He also explained that these improvements will happen over a three-year period. The funds are anticipated to be available for VMH to use by the end of March/beginning of April in the new year.
“Once we have the funds, we’ll work with the Board of Trustees on priorities,” Coyle explained. “We’re not going to spend it all at one time, but will replace the items that absolutely need it first and then take a step back and make sure we prioritize correctly.”
Coyle also noted that VMH will get money back on its cost report every year from Medicare, to help pay down the bond. VMH is a Critical Access Hospital, which allows the facility to leverage its cost report and Medicare cost-based reimbursement to help pay a portion of the loan back.
“We’re very excited to start making some much-needed upgrades,” Coyle said. He added that VMH will continue to be fiscally responsible and not overspend, using the funding wisely and taking things one step at a time.
