Cities Fighting for Ernest

Ogden, Layton trying to get specialty hospital

BY SCOTT SCHWEBKE
Standard-Examiner staff sschwebke@standard.net
Jan 21, 2006

LAYTON — Ogden has competition from Layton in trying to convince Ernest Health Inc. to build a $17.5 million specialty hospital in the area.

Layton economic development specialist Seth Butterfield said he has attempted to contact Ernest Health Chief Administrative Officer Darby Brockette to tout several locations in the northern section of the city as possible spots for the 45-bed hospital. “It (the hospital) would generate high-paying jobs,” Butterfield said explaining why the facility would be a good fit for Layton.

Butterfield said he hasn’t heard back from Brockette, but said Layton officials will pursue the company. “We will continue to call and continue to let them know we are interested,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey and City Council Chairman Jesse Garcia said Brockette has informed them he will resume discussions with the council in the next few weeks regarding the possibility of the hospital being built in Ogden.

More than a week ago, Ernest Health officials abruptly decided not to move ahead with purchasing about 4 acres northwest of 20th Street and Washington Boulevard from the Ogden Redevelopment Agency for about $1.5 million.

The decision came after City Council member Bill Glasmann and other board members asked Brockette during a public meeting to provide detailed information about Ernest Health’s finances and investors. Glasmann has since apologized, saying the questions were appropriate but could have been asked in a different forum.

Garcia said Brockette told him in a phone conversation that some of the City Council’s questions “caught him off guard,” but that he is willing to discuss with them options for building the hospital in the Ogden area.

“He didn’t seem overly offended,” Garcia said. “I don’t think negotiations are dead.”

Brockette could not be reached for comment.

The Ogden Redevelopment Agency had planned to use proceeds from the sale of land to Ernest Health and about $5 million in tax increment that would be generated by the hospital over 15 years to buy about 6 acres of private property in the first phase of the Ogden River Redevelopment Project between 20th Street, Washington Boulevard, Kiesel Avenue and the Ogden River.

A public hearing by the Ogden City Council, functioning as the RDA, remains scheduled for Jan. 24. The hearing regards funding for the project in the event Ernest Health changes its mind before option-to-purchase agreements with about a dozen property owners in the first phase begin to expire Feb. 3.

Garcia said Brockette didn’t mention whether Ernest Health remains interested in the RDA site downtown and it is doubtful a deal can be reached before the purchase options expire. However, he is hopeful property owners will agree to extending the options so the river project can move forward.