The hospital had approached the city with a requeist to have sewer and water lines run to the site, a requirement by Housing and Urban Development, who will be guaranteeing a loan for the bulk of the $17 million dollar project. The new Critical Access hospital will be built on land donated to the board by Bill Cox, and completion of the initial phase of the construction project is scheduled for the spring of 2010.

Trent Johnson, one of the contractors who volunteered for the project has taken a leadership role, helping organize and schedule the project. ?EUR??,,????'??Doing something to help the hospital and the city is the motivation, I guess,?EUR??,,????'?? Johnson said. ?EUR??,,????'??I was part of a group that did something similar with the running track up at the school,?EUR??,,????'?? he said.

The contractors all work well together, Johnson said and noted that with a volunteer project such as this, it should make for a pretty relaxed workplace. ?EUR??,,????'??It is enjoyable to get together with other professionals, all of whom take pride in what they do, and work on a project that will benefit the area,?EUR??,,????'?? he added.

Since the idea was first floated to the contractors by the city at a meeting in February, hosted by the hospital, response has been very good, Johnson said. ?EUR??,,????'??I have not had anyone say no to helping out,?EUR??,,????'?? he said.

The contractors are providing the labor to excavate, place water and sewer lines and then bury them. The city is supplying the plastic lines, to insure that city codes are met. Johnson said that Duane McClure, the Wastewater Treatment Superintendent has also secured a trailer to be used to transport the plastic piping from the storage site at the treatment plant to the job site.

?EUR??,,????'??This means so much to the hospital,?EUR??,,????'?? said John Miller, the administrator for Fall River Health Services. ?EUR??,,????'??This is a huge thing for the community. It is a heartwarming gesture and I think it says a lot about our town.?EUR??,,????'?? Johnson said that he believes that the project could go a long way toward helping get things kick-started in Hot Springs and could begin a period of growth. ?EUR??,,????'??Communities always seem to come together when disaster strikes,?EUR??,,????'?? Johnson said. ?EUR??,,????'??This is an example of a community coming together for something ahead of time.?EUR??,,????'??

Community members have assisted in making the project happen as well. People have donated money to offset fuel costs and some people have asked about arranging to have lunch taken to the work site for the contractors. ?EUR??,,????'??[This project] gives the person on the street the ability to contribute to the project,?EUR??,,????'?? Johnson said, ?EUR??,,????'??to have some connection to it.?EUR??,,????'??

With this new hospital, a large group of contractors will have the opportunity to share good feelings for years to come, when they drive past the new hospital, knowing the part they played in getting in built.

?EUR??,,????'??As contractors,?EUR??,,????'?? Johnson said, ?EUR??,,????'??we talk to everyone in town. Many people, I call them the silent majority, have intimated that they are ready for something really positive to happen?EUR??,,????'???this is our way to show that we can come together and make something positive happen.?EUR??,,????'??