El Centro City Council Approves Revenue Refunding Bonds for ECRMC Improvements

EL CENTRO – April 4, 2018 – During the regular council meeting Tuesday, April 3, the El Centro City Council voted 5 – 0 to move forward with the issuance of $125 million in revenue refunding bonds to El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) for hospital improvements.

A Public Hearing and resolution approving the issuance of revenue refunding bonds by the El Centro Financing Authority was done last night. The funds are to assist in the financing and refinancing of certain capital improvements for ECRMC. The hospital will be using the funding for the construction of an Ancillary Services building, renovation of the Women’s Center, relocation of the Laboratory and expansion of the Emergency Room. In addition, the bonds will fund the seismic retrofitting of older areas within the hospital to bring them up to state seismic compliance.

“ECRMC is a very important part of the City of El Centro,” said City of El Centro Mayor Cheryl Viegas Walker, “The council is committed to ensuring the hospital stays ahead of all healthcare needs in the region. We are pleased to ensure these expansion services and advancements take place.”

The upgrades begin with the construction of the Ancillary Services Building, with an upgrade to the boiler plant, expansion of the emergency department and the relocation of the laboratory following shortly thereafter. Work is expected to take place from 2018 through early 2020.

“We are pleased to receive the vote of confidence from the El Centro City Council,” said Adolphe Edward, Chief Executive Officer of ECRMC. “Administration and hospital staff is excited to get started with expansion plans and even better serve the local community. There are a lot of great things on the horizon for ECRMC and we look forward to offering the best healthcare in the best facilities in the region.”

The State of California issued seismic retrofit regulations to develop and repair designs for existing hospital buildings in order to ensure hospitals are able to provide essential services during and after earthquakes. While subsequent legislation has allowed compliance extensions the final date for compliance is January 1, 2020. ECRMC has been planning retrofitting for a number of years and will proceed with those plans, which include upgrades to the Women’s Center, and the medical/surgical area in the older section of the hospital.

El Centro Regional Medical Center

ECRMC is an acute-care medical center, serving the health care needs of the Imperial Valley since 1956. In addition to the 161-bed hospital, ECRMC also owns and operates the Oncology & Hematology of Imperial Valley, Wound Healing Center and outpatient clinics in El Centro and Calexico. The outpatient centers provide exceptional primary and specialty care for residents seeking enhanced well-being and improved quality of life.