CEO: New Sidney hospital on schedule, under budget

Sidney Regional Medical Center's new hospital is meeting its goals when it comes to budget and scheduling.

That's the message Jason Petik, the chief executive officer at SRMC, passed along in an update he provided on the project at this week's Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners meeting,

In 2012, SRMC contracted an architect to evaluate the 2007 facility's master plan and provide an updated plan based on the current needs of the hospital.

The SRMC Board of Directors later approved a replacement facility to be constructed at the northeast intersection of Greenwood Road and Toledo Street.

The new project design was completed in March 2014 and the Cheyenne County Board approved "the final guaranteed maximum price" for construction costs, and authorized Saunders Construction to proceed.

Saunders Construction began working at the site May 2012.

"They have moved to framing and venting inside," Petik said. "There are roughly 160 people working on the building,"

Petik said they are still under budget and are working with contingency funds from both owner and contractors that would be used for purchasing more equipment down the road.

"We are going to start looking into feasibility study and architecture study for USDA funding for long-term care," Petik said.

About $11 million dollars of the hospital's funds have been spent and both Cheyenne County and Deuel County bonds have been sold.

"We have meetings at the site every Wednesday at 9 o'clock in the southwest trailer, and we do a walkthrough afterwards," Petik added.

Petik said the hospital is still scheduled to be completed in mid-October, with the first patient day scheduled for early December.