CCHC applies for wind farm funds

Cloud County Health Center submitted an application to the Cloud County board of commissioners for $150,000 in wind farm funds to help cover the costs of adding an MRI suite to the new hospital being constructed in Concordia.
David Garnas, Cloud County Health Center (CCHC) administrator, along with board of director chairman Phil Gilliland and board member Ashley Hutchinson, met with the commissioners during their regular meeting on Monday.
The project proposed by CCHC includes the construction of the suite and an estimated cost of $600,000 and the purchase of the MRI machine for an estimated $900,000.
CCHC will be applying for grants and seeking gifts to help fund the project.
CCHC broke ground on the new 78,000-square-foot facility on March 1. The completion date is scheduled for the fall of 2022.
The estimated cost of the project is $44,494,000.
CCHC does not currently have an MRI machine. It uses a traveling service.
Cloud County was presented $300,000 in Meridian Way Wind Farm Funds from EDP Renewables North America last week.
The wind farm funds are to be used to support innovative projects that enhance quality of life, prosperity and safety of the citizens of Cloud County by creating additional educational, recreational, social, health, community development and economic opportunities for them, and for existing and new businesses.
The county commission has now received five applications for wind farm funds.
CloudCorp applied for a total of $200,000 in funds, including $175,000  to support it the Get in the Cloud small business grant program and $25,000 for an economic development tool chest to help attract, retain and expand companies.
The first responder entities in the county applied for $211,234.84 to upgrade the communication infrastructure to a digital system to provide better coverage.
Other applications for funds have been submitted by Independent Connection, Inc. to assist in paying for an independent living specialist to teach TNT classes to youth ages 14-21 and from the Glasco VFW Post 7698 to assist in paying to replace the roof.