History of SLMC

Your Medical Center - Through the Years

 

Lyon Health Center was built in 1953 using federal Hill Burton Funds together with county dollars and assistance from the Anaconda Copper Company. Until that time, medical care had been provided by sever independent physicians but most notably Dr. Mary Fulstone. With the construction and operation of the copper mine, the area’s population grew quickly, and comprehensive medical care was needed.

 

With the departure of Anaconda in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the health center struggled to remain open. The hospital served all the residents of Lyon County until My of 1984. The South Lyon County Hospital District was created by the Board of Lyon County Commissioners on May 24, 1984 by Lyon County Resolution 8417. Nevada Revised Statues 450.070 allowed the creation of the district and established a five-person board of trustees elected by voters within the hospital district to oversea the operation.

During that meeting in May, Deputy District Attorney George Franklin pointed out that the district will now only exist for those south of the third standard parallel north (approximately just south of the Carson River). Assemblyman Joe Dini spoke at the meeting in favor of the creation of the district adding that after a talk with the tax Commission approximately $263,000 would be available for the hospital.

On Junes 29, 1988, a resolution was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners to add a tax levy to support emergency health care to the residents of the hospital district. This required that a vote of the district electorate be held and pass within the next five-year period. The resolution that read: “WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees has determined that the additional ad valorem tax levy which would be required to provide the needed financial support for the hospital would not exceed 25 cents per $100.00 of assessed valuation, which with the existing district tax levy would increase the total levy to 34.78 cents per $100.00 of assessed valuation.” A vote of the residents of the district in 1992 overwhelmingly passed the approval of the tax.

In 1988, the Board of Trustees leased the buildings and the grounds from St. Mary’s in an effort to keep the medical facility open. St. Mary’s operated the hospital, long term care and emergency department for just under 2 years. When their management told the Board of Lyon County Commissioners and the Board of Trustees that they could not operate the facility profitably and would be closing, a group of local business-men and women got together to see what could be done.

After days and hours of deliberation, a non-profit corporation, South Lyon Health Center, INC., was created that would lease the buildings and the ground from the District and operate the medical center. This landmark idea is what ultimately kept the facility open today and on February 27, 1990the facility became known as South Lyon Medical Center. The Board of Directors is elected by the members of the non-profit corporation. The Board of Directors is responsible for all oversight of operation quality and medical staff and hires and Administrator to oversee day-to-day operations. The Hospital District acts as the landlord and is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the buildings and infrastructure.

 

By- Toni Inserra