PMC proposals sought

Pahrump hospital board members weren't worried after no proposals were submitted to run Pahrump Medical Center when Dr. Georges Tannoury's lease expires April 1. Proposals were due by 5 p.m. March 5.

After a seven-minute special hospital board meeting March 6, in which they were supposed to open bids, hospital board member Alan Pope said there was one, possibly two groups interested in operating the facility, but they weren't able to submit a proposal in time.

Since they weren't able to extend the deadline, hospital board members will go out for a second round of proposals, with a shorter time period, Pope said.

A letter from Tannoury's attorney, Jeffrey J. Whitehead, states Tannoury requests an extension of his lease for another year, but also notes Tannoury had requested the repair of equipment at PMC which the hospital board never fixed as required by the contract. Hospital board chairwoman Mary McDonnell said Tannoury would have to reply to the RFP, like any other prospective tenant, but she also raised the possibility Tannoury's lease could be extended on a month-to-month basis until a permanent tenant is found.

Board members also said they would support a proposal by Rural Health Management Corporation to build a hospital on Wilson Road and Lola Lane.

"It's not that far out that I would object to it," Lynn Yates said.

Patti Chipman said she didn't care about the location at all if RHMC would build a hospital without taxpayer dollars. "I don't care, as long as they're going to come out here and build it," she said.


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