STARKVILLE – The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors Wednesday opened bids on the Oktibbeha County Hospital renovation project, but held off on picking a contractor.
The board took bids from 10 contractors under advisement. Those bids ranged from $22.36 million to $26.32 million.
According to Board President and District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard, the county will consult with the project”s architect, Jackson-based Dean and Dean Architects, before selecting a contractor.
“We”re waiting to hear back from Dean and Dean now,” Howard said. “We”re hoping within a couple days we should know something.”
As part of the renovations, new patient rooms will be constructed, and old rooms will be renovated. Additional patient rooms will be located in a new tower the hospital plans to have built.
Among other improvements, the hospital will renovate its birthing suites and, when complete, the facility will feature a state-of-the-art Caesarian section suite and recovery area. Patients also will encounter a new newborn nursery and viewing area, enlarged nurse stations and patient triage and observation rooms.
Plans also include a new drop-off and pickup area for patients and families, new elevators and restrooms, comfortable waiting spaces and new parking decks to make up for spaces lost due to construction.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.