Vidant needs to Adjust | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Vidant Health is scheduled to appear before the Town of Belhaven Board of Adjustment on October 22 at 7 pm to request a Special Use Permit to allow construction and operations of their planned health care facility. This meeting is open to the public and offers an opportunity for citizens to voice their concerns and opinions about the proposed medical facility. The meeting will be held at the Belhaven Civic Center located at 257 West Pungo Street.

    According to documents on file at the Beaufort County Registry of Deeds, Vidant purchased the property (19.4 acres) in December, 2013 for about $80,000. This information does not agree with the Capital Cost (CC) Summary submitted January 17, 2014 to the NC DHHS Certificate of Need Section as part of Vidant's "Request for No Review" for the Belhaven Medical Office Building. The CC Summary states the full purchase price of Land ( 3 acres at $62,500 per acre) totals $187,500.

    There are no other related site costs listed, such as: closing costs, site inspection and survey, subsoil investigation, clearing and grading, soil borings, etc.

    The total project capital cost ($4,300,000) includes construction costs (labor and materials) $3,106,500. The remaining $1,006,000 accounts for fixed equipment, consultant fees and information technology.

    In the Jan. 17th letter, Vidant states the $4.3 million project will be funded through accumulated reserves and the costs include all expenses associated with construction and equipment.

    The selected property's only frontage is on Old County Rd. It backs up to business parking lots and farm land, which leaves the only exit through the parking lot.

    The entire 19.4 acres is under water and will require a serious amount of fill-in dirt to overcome the natural terrain which then may produce adverse runoff effects. It is unclear if the property falls under the Federal Wetlands Regulations.

    Vidant was fully aware of these conditions before submitting a Request for No Review to NC DHHS Certificate of Need (CON) Agency. The CON letter dated June 30, approved Exemption from Review but stipulated "any change in facts as represented by you would require further consideration by this Agency and a separate determination".

    Advance Preparation for more delays is the name of Vidant's game.

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