Folks have asked me why it is necessary to have a special election on May 22 to approve the pre-sale of Blaine Manor by Blaine County, and I would like to give a brief history of this issue, comparing it to the process of building St. Luke's Hospital.
The merger of the Moritz Hospital in Sun Valley with the Blaine County Hospital in Hailey and the transfer of their assets to St. Luke's, a non- profit corporation, was approved by an advisory vote of the citizens of Blaine County. In a similar way, a favorable vote on May 22 will authorize the County Commission to proceed to transfer the funds from the sale of its current property of Blaine Manor to the Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation, also a 501 3C non-profit corporation, to assist with building a continuing care retirement facility, which will include skilled nursing care, along with assisted and independent living. The service agreement with the county requires that the buyer lease Blaine Manor back to the county until the new facility is completed, which is planned for July 2010, when all of the residents at that time can be transferred to the new facility.
After the favorable vote on the hospital, it was necessary for the hospital board to raise a significant amount of funds to construct the new hospital, and the Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation will also need to conduct a fund-raising campaign to raise the additional funds needed to build this expanded facility. Because it will provide not only nursing care, but also assisted and independent living accommodations, it will be able to operate in a more viable manner.
Further information is available on the Web site www.croycanyonranch.com and will follow in succeeding issues of this newspaper. As you learn more about this issue, I'm sure you will want to join in the positive vote with your fellow citizens on May 22. If you will be out of town on that date, you can vote by absentee ballot at the Old County Courthouse in Hailey.
Jeanne Cassell
Co-president, Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation