Hospital expansion meeting clarifies scope of project

Residents voiced concerns over street closures and possible rainwater runoff at a Monday meeting regarding the expansion of Harrisburg Medical Center.

The city of Harrisburg hosted the meeting so HMC CEO Rodney Smith could outline what changes would come and what improved services will be provided.

The hospital plans to expand to provide additional healthcare services to the area, Smith said.

"We are expanding and improving the emergency room, adding two more operating rooms and renovating the front of the building," Smith said. Other improvements, like expanding the behavioral health unit, will come later, he said, as will constructing a new kitchen/laundry area.

In addition, AirEvac, the helicopter ambulance service, plans to construct a full-time hub at the hospital, which will require a helicopter hangar, new helipad and fuleing station, Smith said.

While most in attendance said they certainly support the expansion, they do not like the way the hospital has handled the project.

Angela Stout lives immediately northeast of the hospital. Her home and business -- a hair salon -- are at a significantly lower elevation. That area of Harrisburg has been prone to flooding for many years. She said more construction means more concrete, and that means more runoff during storms.

"Right now, there's quite a bit of dirt and gravel that at least helps soak up some of the rain," Stout said. "Once more concrete is there, it's really going to flood."

In earlier stages of the expansion, Stout said the street she lives on -- Woolcott -- possibly would be closed as part of the project. Michigan and National streets also were believed to be potentially closed by some attending the meeting.

Also, helicopter noise and the possibility of injury or death in the event of a helicopter crash, concerned Stout.

At Monday's meeting, a compromise of a crosswalk to connect a parking area to the north side of the hospital - keeping Woolcott Street open - was suggested. Smith said such compromises were a positive outcome of meetings like this one.

However, Stout said more communication from the hospital earlier in the project could have avoided many neighbors' concerns.

She also said at one time, she and the hospital had negotiated the possible sale of her property.

"I never planned to move, but a piece of property came up that we never imagined would come up for sale," she said.

She said had the hospital purchased her property, she could have in turn purchased the property she wanted. The other property sold before a deal with the hospital could be reached, she said.

"Now there's no where I want to move to," she said. "I guess I can just stay home and hire an attorney if I need to."

She also said she is in favor of better healthcare for the Harrisburg and Saline County area, but she doesn't like the way the hospital planned the expansion.

"I'm all for the expansion," she said, "but they do what they want to and we have to deal with the repercussions. That's not being a good neighbor."

Smith reiterated that meetings like Mondays were part of the process of taking neighbors' concerns into account.

"It's good to have these conversations and be a part of the community," he said.