City council doesn't want Prairie View to leave town
Staff reporter
Marion City Councilman Gene Winkler expressed his concern Monday about finding Prairie View Inc. a new building.
The satellite office, currently located in a building on the St. Luke Hospital campus, will need to move by the end of June because the contact with Marion County Hospital District #1 was not renewed.
"It is essential to this council to keep Prairie View in Marion," Winkler said.
Corporate headquarters for the mental health care provider is in Newton with offices in McPherson, Hutchinson, and Wichita. Marion County Commission supports the mental health facility which provides services to Marion County residents.
Councilman Bill Holdeman asked why Prairie View wasn't given more notice to vacate. Chief financial officer of the hospital, Hilary Dolbee, responded that the district notified Prairie View as stipulated in the lease contract.
City economic development director Jami Williams said a builder from Iowa was interested in constructing and leasing a building in Marion but it wouldn't be ready for six months.
"Prairie View needs 4,558 square feet," Williams said.
The mental health facility is looking for even a temporary facility that would accommodate the business until a permanent building could be secured or constructed.
"The city needs to help find them a temporary location to keep them here permanently," Williams said. "If we don't do something, they'll go someplace else."
Councilman Stacey Collett asked if the city's speculative building at the industrial park would work. Williams said it won't be ready until July and will only be a shell building.
Williams said Prairie View needs private offices, not cubicles, to assure patient confidentiality.
Businessman Jim Cloutier suggested the city contact the school district. Williams said she would ask.
"This is a big problem," said Mayor Mary Olson. "We don't want this to die on the vine."
