Carson-Tahoe Hospital prepares for upgrade

Carson-Tahoe Hospital is getting ready to shell out roughly $2.7 million for a complete electrical upgrade of its main campus.

Hospital trustees are set to approve a $1.4 million contract with Northern Sierra Construction, of Reno, for the construction end of the work, scheduled to start Feb. 1.

Hospital Construction Manager Roger Sedway said the project bids came in about $300,000 over budget. He said the hospital's current electrical service is at full capacity and is "grossly inadequate for a main hospital."

"There probably hasn't been an upgrade since the hospital was built," he said.

The project includes expanding the hospital building by 5,400 square feet to make room for three emergency generators. All old electrical materials in the building will be replaced over the next 10 months. A 4,000-amp transformer will replace the hospital's 1,600-amp transformer and will allow the hospital to expand, Sedway said.

"We're doing this in anticipation of the master plan so we don't have to address the electrical needs individually with each project," Sedway said. "(The upgrade) is very important. A hospital is always buying electrical items, and the technology associated with hospitals demands more electricity. We keep getting closer to the (electrical) capacity."

The hospital is in various stages of construction as officials work on implementing the master plan. Completed in 1998, the 10-year master plan has a $63 million wish list of items

Trustees will also consider awarding a $297,000 contract for renovation of the hospital's supply warehouse, also with Northern Sierra Construction. The supply warehouse located next to the main building will be renovated into a conference center for meetings. The center will include two 500-square-foot meeting rooms with a movable divider. There will be men's and women's restrooms as well as two 240-square-foot meeting rooms with audio and visual capabilities. The total warehouse renovation is expected to cost about $403,000.

Trustees will also consider:

- Final approval of the new members of the Carson Valley Advisory Board. Eight candidates will be appointed at Thursday's meeting. The advisory board acts as the hospital's eyes and ears to health issues in the Carson Valley. The center's previous advisory board disbanded itself in June because board members were uncomfortable with the hospital's decision to privatize its health care clinic in Douglas County.

- Trustees will revisit giving $30,000 a year over two years to start a mentoring program for at-risk Carson City youth. Sponsored by the Carson City and Douglas County Leadership Alumni, Mentoring 2000 Task Force is asking for $150,000 from four governmental agencies to start the mentoring program. The Leadership Alumni are asking the hospital, Carson City, the Carson City School Board and Western Nevada Community College to help pick up the startup costs. Trustees delayed a decision on the funding in December to wait for more information on the program.

If you go:

What: Carson-Tahoe Hospital Board of Trustees, Building Committee and Finance Committee

When: Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Pinon Plaza Casino Resort Conference Center, 2171 Highway 50 East, Carson City.