Supervisors want to decide on ARPA funds allocation for MercyOne

Earlier this year, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors decided the remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds will go towards MercyOne Newton’s emergency room enhancement project, but at a recent work session the board showed interest in giving the hospital a set amount in addition to the remaining balance.

Although no action was made, there was consensus from supervisors that the county provide a certain amount of money to the hospital’s proposed $6 million project. In September 2022 when representatives from the hospital first pitched the idea, they initially asked for $2 million in ARPA funds from Jasper County.

While supervisors could not commit to $2 million, they did want to give what they could after conservation, the sheriff’s office and secondary roads received the bulk of the $7.22 million allocation. Supervisor Brandon Talsma contacted MercyOne prior to the Sept. 26 meeting, and he confirmed the project was still a-go.

“I met with (MercyOne Newton Chief Operating Officer Chad Kelley), and he said their intent is still to do the emergency room remodel and addition,” Talsma said.

The new emergency room would have two different trauma bays. MercyOne Newton learned during the pandemic it was not well equipped for certain things with the infrastructure currently in place. There were negative pressure rooms and the hospital still has half its ambulance bay shut down for intubations.

In addition to the bigger rooms, the designs of new emergency room positions the behavioral health suite towards the end to allow staff adequate time to intervene in case patients elope. Right now it’s physically impossible to keep eyes on every patient. The new designs have a centralized nurse station.

County staff did not know the current balance of the ARPA funding stream at the time of the work session. Regardless, Talsma said a number of projects are going to come in significantly under what was budgeted, which leaves money left over. Talsma said an allocation to the hospital could also help kickstart fundraising.

In an effort to not make the hospital feel like its waiting in limbo wondering how much money it would receive from Jasper County — whether it be $60,000 or $500,000 — and as an attempt to help kickstart fundraising, Talsma gauged how fellow supervisors would feel about an upfront donation first.

Talsma said, “I do think we should pick a number, and say—”

“Here’s your guaranteed amount,” supervisor Denny Stevenson said.

“We’re going to go ahead and give you this now. That way they’ve got something and it’s a starting point. And then still at the end of it the remaining funds would still go to them. We can do it two weeks from now, but I’d like to know where we’re at on ARPA funds first.”

Jasper County has until 2026 to spend its ARPA funds. At that time, the remaining dollars will go towards the hospital