Salem Home now owns its building
Staff writer
Hillsboro city council members Tuesday approved an agreement to formally transfer ownership of the Salem Home building to the nursing home.
Part of the agreement is that the city will pay Salem Home $34,431.73 to cover the cost of fire sprinkler system repairs made necessary when Tabor College took over the other wing of the building last summer. The wing is now a COVID-19 isolation facility.
The former Salem Hospital was sold to Rural Community Hospitals of America. That company split the business into Hillsboro Hospital and Salem Home.
RCHA filed bankruptcy soon afterward. Mayor Lou Thurston said the city took ownership of the building during the bankruptcy.
Salem Home paid rent until 2015, when officials from the organization asked the city for relief.
In other matters, councilmen took care of a laundry list of year-end matters.
City administrator Matt Stiles said a city employee tested positive for COVID Tuesday. The city routinely tests employees, and Tuesday was the first time an employee has tested positive.