MARTINS FERRY — Prior to hearing the first reading of an ordinance Thursday to help the new East Ohio Regional Hospital, Martins Ferry City Council received an update on the ongoing work to get the facility reopened.

Chief Operating Officer Bernie Albertini and hospital lawyer David Croft briefed council on the latest developments to get the hospital reopened. It was purchased recently Dr. John Johnson, a Dayton-based psychiatrist, from Alecto Healthcare Services.

“We continue to work closely with Dr. Johnson. He has been extremely proactive with the building in anticipation of trying to get it reopened,” Croft said, noting Johnson recently did a walk-through of the building.

One item of work mentioned by Croft was the need to get chillers replaced so the building can be air conditioned again. While infrastructure work is taking place, the new hospital administration also is working on securing the needed equipment and beds to take care of patients.

Croft also noted the hospital has set up its bank accounts, including one just for the income tax money, if they are permitted to receive it from the city.

“One of the questions we received when we appeared before you last was …how do we know this is going into the building? Our goal is to operate with that transparency,” Croft said to council.

If ultimately approved, the ordinance would give back 75 percent of the money generated by the 1 percent income tax levied against the future hospital workers by the city.

The income tax accounts for usually more than $1 million of the city’s budget. How much could be generated for the hospital remains to be seen, but it has been deemed important by Croft and Albertini.

Croft said the income tax money will help the facility with deferred maintenance costs that accrue as soon as a hospital opens. A mutual agreement attached to the proposed ordinance notes the tax money can only be used for non-moveable work and equipment on the building. It cannot be used for operating costs.

“The way to make this successful … sustaining this is the trick,” he said.

The agreement also notes the hospital is required to create a certain number of jobs, and it must try to hire Martins Ferry residents to fill roles.

“One of the last numbers I had was from 2016-17. At the time there were 411 jobs and the average salary, based on a $20 million payroll, was $56,000. That’s across the spectrum, of course,” Croft said.

He noted Johnson wants to do laundry on site instead of contracting it out. That will bring in more jobs as well.

“The second thing he wants, he wants us to make sure we do all our own food service,” Croft said.

Albertini has said previously the cost estimate to reopen the hospital is about $38 million. He told council in addition to getting the hospital ready physically, it also must receive approval from a few different agencies.

“Part of getting it ready is accreditation from The Joint Commission, the Ohio Department of Health, the DEA and the board of pharmacy. Those are what we’re tackling first, those are the regulating steps,” he said.

In terms of physical equipment, every piece has to be checked out before it can be purchased, he said.

“We’re moving along,” Albertini added of EORH.

He noted Brad Simms was recently hired as the hospital’s new safety director. Simms worked as Ohio Valley Medical Center’s director of corporate safety for several years. OVMC also was shuttered by Alecto last fall. The city of Wheeling has been mulling whether to purchase OVMC, but its council has not made a decision yet.