AG 2006 11 20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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private health insurance also meet a portion of the ongoing operating costs. Still, additional support from the community will be essential to the full development and ongoing operation ofthe Centers. Immediate Need The McGill Medical Center facility currently has only three patient examination rooms. Eight additional examination rooms are needed in the immediate future in order to make full utilization of this facility in seeing the number of patients that will represent its total capacity. These exam rooms have been designed for construction in the gymnasium area of this building which formerly served as a church recreation center. (In the attached architect's drawing, planned renovation to add the eight exam rooms is shown in the area behind the open area labeled "future". The area marked "future" will be developed as soon as possible to provide space for partner agency staff, as well as to meet other needs for administrative space.) It was of course known at the time the McGill Medical Center facility was acquired by the CCHC that the gymnasium area would have to be renovated in order to provide the number of examination rooms required. Based upon the initial architect's estimated cost of this portion of the needed renovations, the CCHC applied to the Cannon Foundation for a grant of $250,000 to fund the project. The Foundation made a grant in this amount. Unfortunately, the actual costs for construction have now been determined to total $310,000, or $60,000 more than the amount the CCHC has for the project. Thorough research done by the Centers' Board has found no other source of grant funding that can be secured in a timely fashion to make it poss.ible to proceed with the renovations. That the Centers be able to proceed with the renovations required at the McGill Medical Center is highly important. The capacity to see patients there is currently severely limited. The ability of the CCHC to meet the goals to which it committed itself in its federal grant relies upon increasing the capacity of this facility. Far more important, the uninsured persons cited in the numbers above are our neighbors. These are largely people in low-income working families who do not get preventive care, who defer medical care even when they need to see a doctor, and who often have only the emergency room as a last resort for medical care. They are also people, including many in the families of PilIowtex workers who lost health insurance over three years ago, who have waited as we have worked to make the Centers a reality. Request Tbe Board of Directors oftbe Cabarrus Community Healtb Centers is requesting tbat tbe Board of County Commissioners appropriate $60,000 to tbe CCHC for tbe renovatious needed at tbe McGill Medical Center. In making this tequest, we ask that the Board of Commissioners bear in mind that the CCHC has not made any previous request of the County for financial assistance. Still, we want to make the Board aware, that because of the unprecedented need and the constantly increasing number of persons wM lack health insurance coverage, the Centers will require the financial support of individuals, organizations, our hospital, local businesses, and county and municipal governments for their success and ongoing operation. This support will be essential to the survival of the Centers, and the Centers will playa crucial role in the health, economic prosperity, and progress of the entire community. We plan to bring a request for help in supporting the Centers' operation to the County for consideration in the upcoming budget cycle. We thank you and the Board of Commissioners for your very kind consideration. Sincerely, #'~ /~ Lamar Barrier, Chairman CCHC Board G-?.