'Yea' or 'Nay' soon on new Du Quoin REA Clinic funding
"There are more projects than funds and we are notifying the applicants 'yea' or 'nay' by the end of the year," according to David Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Capital Development Board, which has an application in its hands for nearly $3 million for a new Christopher Rural Health clinic building in Du Quoin.
Blanhette said he could not disclose whether the Du Quoin project is on the approval list. He said if the project is not on the list, he understands the Illinois Legislature is in the mood to approve a new round of capital construction funding in the next year or two.
The Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation's five-year roll to provide quality healthcare service and build new clinics in Christopher, Sesser and Du Quoin apparently got side-tracked last fall as Gov. Quinn put some of the state's capital construction money in places where it would do the most good--politically.
The rural health development money that will build Du Quoin's new REA clinic was apparently lost in that shuffle and CRHPC is appealing to Sen. David Luechtefeld, newly elected 115th district house member Terri Bryant and Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner to find it and get the Du Quoin construction back on track.
But, Sen. Luechtefeld said Wednesday, "If I call up there I'll get the same answer you got, John."
The Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation hopes to start construction next year on what will be a new $3 million REA family medical center on the site of the old Bridal Originals garment factory on the east side of Rt. 51 south of Du Quoin.
It will replace the existing REA Clinic on Gas Plant Road just south of the Southtowne Shopping Center, according to spokeswoman Linda Quillman of Du Quoin, the corporation's comptroller.
Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation two years ago purchased the former Bridal Originals building and surrounding ground from owner, Carl Hagler, for the location of the new REA clinic in Du Quoin,
The search for a location in which to facilitate the expansion of REA Clinic-Du Quoin to better serve the community had been ongoing for the past several years. However, after a long, arduous process and several negotiations for property ending in disappointment, CRHPC was led to Mr. Hager," she said.
The new REA Clinic building will be 15,000 sq. ft.
Demolition of Bridal Originals, ground breaking and erection of the new clinic was scheduled to follow in the spring of 2014.
The new clinic will be equipped to accommodate a total of eight medical providers, adding to the staff that currently includes Dr. Ben Rathert, nurse practitioner Andrea Epplin and physician's assistant Michael Poiter.
"We should have another new doctor next year," according to Christopher Rural Health Director Kim Mitroka.
Mitroka said Tuesday the clinic cannot be built without the nearly $3 million in state help. She said to start demolition of the Bridal Originals building would send a message that REA already has the money to build--and it doesn't.
The clinic will have the look and feel of the Sesser Community Health Center east of Sesser built three years ago, and construction of the beautiful new REA Clinic on Rt. 14 in Christopher, also home to the Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation. It was Quillman's vision that brought the original REA Clinic to Du Quoin, housed in a still-beautiful building constructed for an upscale day care facility years ago. That building is expected to have a great deal of professional appeal once it is vacated. Bridal Originals closed its Du Quoin garment factory in 2002.