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HOME > ABOUT > PRESS > HEALTH CENTER ON EARMARK LIST
Article published - April 1, 2010
Credit: SONOMA NEWS
Health center on earmark list
by Bill Hoban
The Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, which lost out on a $6 million federal stimulus grant back in December, could receive a $7 million earmark for construction of a new facility on Highway 12.
The earmark money is one of four projects in the Valley that could receive federal funds in the next fiscal year. The fiscal year for the federal government starts on Oct. 1. The other projects that could receive federal funding includes $1.7 million for the Sonoma Valley Regional Library, $1.1 million to build a roundabout at the intersection of Arnold Drive and Fremont Drive and $250,000 for Sonoma Valley Hospital for a geriatric program.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, co-sponsored the application for the Community Health Center. Patricia Talbot, CEO of the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, was thrilled to hear that the center made the cut.
"This is great," she said. "Especially after we didn't get the federal stimulus grant. We were looking for funding and this was an opportunity."
The project cost of the new facility is about $12 million, with about $7 million being construction costs.
"We certainly need funding to move forward," Talbot said. "This would be very exciting if this came through."
Talbot said that under the recently signed health care reform package, more and more people will be using community health centers.
"One study said that community health centers can expect to see a 30 percent to 50 percent patient increase in the next five years," she said. "Health centers will be one of the largest providers of health care."
She's grateful for the help the health center has gotten from not only Woolsey and Thompson, but also local officials. "Everybody's looking out for us," she said.
But it could be a while before the
community health center - or any of the projects - find out whether or not funding is forthcoming. The federal budget year starts Oct. 1, so it could be early next year before any of the money is received. And some or all may fall by the wayside as the projects work their way through various congressional committees.
Another of the projects is $1.7 million for upgrades at the Sonoma Valley Regional Library.
The City of Sonoma owns the building and needs to bring it up to code - especially upgrades for the Americans with Disabilities Act and fire sprinklers for safety.
According to a city document, the projected cost of the library upgrades is a little more than $2.4 million. The city has committed $368,000, the county has committed $276,000 and the Friends of the Library have committed $100,000, leaving a gap of about $1.66 million.
The Sonoma County Transportation Authority could receive $1.1 million for a roundabout at Arnold Drive and Fremont Drive.
Suzanne Smith, executive director of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, said the money would be for environmental studies and preliminary design work.
The total cost of the project, which will receive Measure M funds, is expected to be about $13 million.
Originally, the intersection was set to receive a traffic signal to replace the 4-way stop signs. But Smith said that Valley residents suggested a roundabout instead - and Caltrans didn't object.
"This is just the first step in the process," Smith said. And she said if the money is approved, the county could start on the environmental phase sometime early in 2011.
Sonoma Valley Hospital could see $250,000 for a geriatric outreach program in conjunction with the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, Santa Rosa Junior College, Sonoma State and various senior organizations.
Bill Boerum, president of the hospital's board of directors, said former board member Mike Smith wrote letters to both Woolsey and Thompson on behalf of the hospital.
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