Obama uses clout, seeks Cairo solution U.S. senator pulls agencies together to open abandoned hospital dialogue
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Printable FormatTHE SOUTHERN
By Nicole Sack
CAIRO - U.S. Sen. Barack Obama has used his clout to pull multiple state and federal agencies together to start finding a solution for Cairo's abandoned hospital, which is filled with asbestos, medical waste, patient records and had been a refuge for homeless people.
"It is clear that this issue has been a concern for residents in the area and they deserve a response that addresses the health, safety and welfare of their community," Obama, D-Chicago, said in a statement released Tuesday. "The first step in resolving this matter is getting everyone involved to the table. That's why I asked to convene this meeting today to begin a dialogue about moving this process forward. It is evident that this is going to take all levels of government working together."
Obama maybe able to tap into federal funds that have been out of reach from state and local entities. The hospital that has been closed since 1986 cannot be demolished without first remedying the presence of asbestos and medical waste hazards. Preliminary estimates for the cleanup and razing are $750,000.
While Obama himself did not attend the public meeting, his staff representatives joined members of the Illinois and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services, the Illinois Department of Public Health and officials of Cairo's city government.
Representatives from state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, and Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Norris City, also took part in the discussion. Phelps said officials in Cairo have been more apt to call Obama's office for assistance since there could be some federal money available.
"Sen. Obama has taken the lead on this, but I want to help in any capacity that I can, because we need to do everything we can to help that community prosper," Phelps said. "And anything that is a detriment to that community is something that I want to help get rid of, no matter what the politics are. The thing about it is that Cairo is dying on the vine."
The attorney general's office is currently investigating the ownership of the hospital. Taxes on the building are more than 10 years past due. Since the building is under private ownership it has deterred local agencies from taking control of the building, since all liabilities also would be transferred.
"It is not that the city doesn't want to step in, if we could, we probably would have already - we just don't know how to handle it and funding is an issue," said Cairo City Clerk DeBran Sudduth, who was in attendance at the hospital roundtable. "Basically what they did today was to discuss what possibilities they had and how to look for funding for this project, because it is much needed for health reasons for the citizens. The hospital is a very dangerous place to be in existence as its current condition is."
Sudduth also believes the estimated demolition costs of $750,000 are too low.
"I just can't believe it is enough," he said. "To knock it down, have it hauled away taken to the proper landfill, pay landfill charges, the testing that goes into asbestos - I just can't believe that is all it would cost."
Medical records that were left behind in the building have raised concerns about confidentiality. However, not even those records can be properly dealt with until the asbestos issue is addressed.
The hospital, formerly known as St. Mary's, was first scheduled to close in the summer of 1973. The Sisters of the Holy Cross, who ran it, said the facility was losing too much money to remain operating. But after an emergency intervention by state health agencies and the Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Medicine to keep the building open, the Pulaski-Alexander Development Corp. purchased the hospital. In March 1974, then-Gov. Daniel Walker rededicated the site as the PADCO Community Hospital.
Just over a decade later, the hospital was permanently closed.
This summer reports emerged that vagrants had been living inside the abandoned building. In October, the IEPA sent an inspector to investigate claims of people entering in the building. The inspector confirmed the asbestos and placed an administrative seal order to deter trespassing, said Maggie Carson, communication manager of the IEPA.
Julian Green, Obama spokesman, said there will be subsequent meeting on the issue, although the dates have not yet been set.
"This was the first time a meeting of this magnitude has been convened in regard to the hospital." Green said. "Everyone agreed this needs to be handled. What the senator is doing is looking for available grants to move the asbestos out of the building and to have subsequent meetings to continue the oversight."