KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsDenison, IA city council okays annexation, rezoning of land for new hospital

Denison, IA city council okays annexation, rezoning of land for new hospital

DENISON, Iowa (KTIV) - Two more big steps for a brand new replacement hospital in Crawford County, Iowa.

Monday Denison's City Council approved the annexation of the land for the hospital, and then "okayed" the re-zoning of that land.

After the 35-million dollar replacement hospital is built officials are hoping other medical services and doctors will follow to occupy the area around it.

After council members heard from the community they approved the annexation and re-zoning of 120 total acres of land as a health care district.

Supporters say this will allow for other medical services to come in as well, and grow the economy of the area.

"And the whole point of the hospitals development scheme was that it would serve as an anchor development," said Crawford County Memorial Hospital Attorney Brad Vonner.

At Monday nights meeting of the Crawford County Hospital Board folks talked about how construction on the hospital has already begun.

Many on the hospital board say they're excited and proud of the progress.

On the other side of the issue are those with Citizens for Responsible Hospital Progress.

They say they want the process to slow down, and were disappointed with Monday's council decision, but are looking toward the future

"Well come January we will seek three new candidates who won the election in Crawford County," said Rich Knowles of Denison Iowa.

Knowles says those three new board members are in favor of expanding the current hospital rather than building a new one.

Four members will stay on the board and will still hold a majority if they decide to move in the same direction, after the new board members arrive, in January.