County hospital mediation begins

January 15, 2009

Settlement negotations attempting to end the months-long legal battle over the county hospital began this morning at a meeting between the plaintiffs and Valencia County, according to several of the plaintiffs.

Present at the meeting were the plaintiffs and their attorney, as well as commissioners Pedro Rael and Don Holliday.

The county commission voted 3-2 last week to suspend appellate court proceedings and enter into negotiations.

The plaintiffs are seeking to stop the hospital from being built in favor of 24-hour urgent care facilities in various locations around the county. The plaintiffs have argued that the county does not have the population and money to make a hospital viable.

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