SHC76

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Beach security Page A2

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Wednesday, July 6, 2022

thechronicleonline.com

Millions spent.

Serving Columbia County since 1881

Worksite abandoned. Zoe Gottlieb / The Chronicle

The hospital that was never built Special Report ZOE GOTTLIEB chronicle2@countrymedia.net

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners has taken a significant step in determining whether to build a county hospital. During their June 29 regular public meeting, the commissioners directed Columbia County Public Health (CCPH) Director Michael Paul to enter into negotiations for a hospital feasibility study with California-based Jensen Partners, a strategic, operations, and facilities healthcare planning and project and construction management firm. The market analysis will provide insight into the viability, future capacity, utilization, cor-

rect distribution of services, and growth potential of a new hospital in Columbia County, according to the Jensen Partners CCPH Feasibility Study proposal. Jensen Partners officials said they would analyze existing and projected changes to demographics and the population in the new hospital’s primary, secondary, and target service areas and create a blueprint for future capacity needs and long-term competitive positioning. The feasibility study will take approximately 12 weeks to complete. The cost of the study is estimated to be $119,700. Columbia County Commissioner Henry Heimuller said the county has set aside federal pandemic relief funds to cover the cost of the feasibility study. “The one thing that we’ve learned in COVID is every community of any size, certainly every county, needs to have a healthcare

center,” he said in a one-on-one interview with The Chronicle. “What we’ve ended up with, because we don’t have a hospital, (is) other things don’t count. Legacy doesn’t count, and OHSU doesn’t count. “When it comes time for federal dollars and programs around the pandemic, somebody has to sign for those things. It has to be your hospital.” He added, “(Say) our county wants x number of dollars for inoculations. Somebody has to sign on that says, we as a health care community in your town, are going to be able to carry on those things that these grant dollars can provide.” At this stage, the commissioners are not advocating for a hospital; rather, they are looking at solutions to fill a long unmet county need, according to Heimuller. “This is not Henry sitting on a mountaintop saying we need a

Courtesy graphic

An artist’s rendering of the Columbia River Community Hospital to be built on Millard Rd. in St. Helens.

hospital come hell or high water. This us saying that we’ve recognized the fact that our community is underserved because we don’t have a hospital,” Heimuller said. “Will we ever get one? I don’t know.”

The proposal In March, the county submitted a Request for Proposals (RFP) to

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See HOSPITAL Page A8

Fire evacuations JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net

equipment, and offer additional summer activities for St. Helens youth to stay engaged and have fun. “We are so grateful to receive this grant,” St. Helens Parks and

Smoke and fire forced 70 residents to evacuate the Avamere at St. Helens Senior Living and Memory Care facility at 2400 Gable Road shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 29. “There was a fire in one room and it was contained by the sprinkler system to that room. It had never breached the walls or the ceiling,” Columbia River Fire & Rescue Fire Marshal Tad Pedersen said. “There was smoke in the hallways. The staff, with the assistance of police and firefighters, were able to evacuate the occupants.” St. Helens Police, Oregon State Police and Columbia River Fire

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Courtesy from the City of St. Helens

The City of St. Helens offers a variety of summer recreational activities including youth summer camps.

City gets $150,000

STAFF REPORT chroniclenews@countrymedia.net

The City of St. Helens has been awarded a $150,000 Oregon Community Summer Grant for its Parks and Recreation Division. The grant will be used to hire additional recreation staff, purchase

See GRANT Page A3

See FIRE Page A8

Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle

A firefighter and staff member help evacuate a resident from the building.

SAFETY AVAILABILITY UNITY & TRUST

Opinion ..................... A4 Poll ............................ A4 Community Calendar A4

Obituaries ................. A5 Classified Ads ......... A6 Legals ....................... A7 Crossword ............... A9 4th of July ........... A10 Paid for by Terry Massey for Columbia County Sheriff

OVER 25 YEARS COMBINED BUSINESS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE/LEADERSHIP

Service before self | terrymassey4sheriff.vote

Contact The Chronicle

Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 Email: chroniclenews@ countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051 Vol. 140, No. 27 SHUTTLE FROM THE COLUMBIA CO. RIDER PARKING LOT PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE OREGON ELKS CHILDREN’S EYE CLINIC

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