Haxtun Health's Board of Directors approve 2021 budget

The final meeting of 2020 centered around the upcoming year’s budget for the Board of Directors of Haxtun Health. Members met on Monday, Dec. 7 to approve the 2021 budget as well as resolutions that go with including those to appropriate sums of money and to set mill levies.

To kick off the meeting, Marketing Director Julia Biesemeier presented information on potential funding opportunities for the main street clinic project. Haxtun Health purchased the old Smith Hardware building in the 100 block of South Colorado Avenue in the fall. Plans are in place to tear down the existing building and replace it with a new, two story building that will be home to clinic, physical therapy and pharmacy space as well as other retail and wellness services.

Biesemeier told board members that goals and objectives with the main street clinic align very well with many funding organizations and the belief is that Haxtun Health should be able to fund the project with grant funds.

At a town council meeting earlier this month, Chief Executive Officer Dewane Pace told council members that the project is projected to begin soon with demolition of the existing building followed by construction of the new one with hopes of completion by summer 2021.

Through the remainder of the hour-long meeting, Haxtun Health board members heard from Chief Financial Officer Joleen Stroyek and discussed the projected 2021 budget.

Stroyek provided several documents to board members, including information on items of significance for the projected budget. The information states that patient revenue in the 2021 budget projects a three-percent increase in growth as well as a three-percent increase in rates.

While discussing the budget, both Pace and Stroyek expressed excitement about increasing swing bed occupancy. A plan is in place for the coming year to rebrand and advertise not only swing bed and inpatient rehabilitation opportunities at Haxtun Health, but other services offered as well.

Next year’s budget also includes figures to fill nine vacancies of current open positions as well as budgeting to fill five new positions being created including a nursing admin position, new lab medical technician, a medical assistant for the Fleming clinic, a registration specialist for the Fleming Clinic and a financial analyst for the accounting department.

Haxtun Health currently has openings for two full-time nursing positions in the Extended Care Unit, a pharmacy tech, medical tech for the lab, medical assistant and physician at the Haxtun clinic, Director of EVS and a food service worker.

The upcoming budget also reflects hiring two new physicians who plan to work at Haxtun Health four days every month, cutting down expenses for locum doctors.

Board members approved the 2021 budget following discussion as well as approved resolutions to set mill levies. The 2021 assessed value for Haxtun Health is $25,763,940. The following mill levies were also set: general operating, 6.923 mills; bond, 3.399 mills; and Ballot Issue 5A, approved in 2015, 4.464 mills.