Stockton may support hospital expansion

By: Linda Seida
   STOCKTON — Although no decision has been made, borough officials say they’ll probably agree to Hunterdon Medical Center’s request Stockton donate $1 on behalf of each of its residents to help finance a hospital expansion project.
   A firm decision most likely will be made by the time budget talks are completed in coming weeks.
   The donation of $1 per Stockton resident would amount to about $600.
   "If that’s still too much, consider putting half into the budget and maybe the other half next year," said Ronald W. Subber, chairman of the fund-raising campaign and a trustee of the hospital.
   Mr. Subber brought the hospital’s appeal to Stockton officials during the Borough Council’s meeting Jan. 27.
   In 2001, Stockton residents made 241 visits to the emergency room, according to Mr. Subber.
   "Literally two out of every three days, somebody from Stockton is going to the emergency department," he said. "You don’t have a lot of people, but you have a lot of emergency visits."
   The hospital is trying to raise $6 million to help pay for expansion and renovation of the emergency room and intensive care unit. The project’s cost will total $10.5 million.
   Some of the $6 million goal already has been met. According to Mr. Subber, almost $1 million left over from a previous fund-raiser will go toward this project, and another $2.5 million was raised internally. A federal grant of $500,00 also will help.
   "It’s tight, and it’s small," Councilman Neal Esposito said of the emergency department. "It (the expansion) probably should have been done several years ago."
   Mr. Esposito has worked as an EMT, and has served as assistant chief of the Stockton Rescue Squad.
   "It’s a good plan," Councilwoman Constance Bassett agreed.
   Mayor Gregg Rackin said he’s inclined to support a municipal appropriation to support the hospital’s expansion project.
   "We’ll give it every consideration," he said.
   In comparison to the statistics concerning Stockton’s visits to the emergency room, residents of neighboring Lambertville made about 2,000 visits to the emergency room the same year. The city’s population is around 4,000.