The South Central Health District has made a pitch for lower land prices from Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation (SPMC), for the 16-acre site the new long-term and acute-care facilities will be built upon.

A meeting was held with SPMC officials, who are the owners of the Souris Valley Extended Care Centre and the surrounding land out to King Street and First Avenue North.

No indication was given about the future status of the Souris Valley facility itself, but SCHD officials said no part of Souris Valley will be torn down for construction of the new facility, the first phase of which will be a 135-bed long-term care centre.

SPMC is asking the health district to pay a price of $3,000 an acre for the 16.3 parcel of land, or a total of $48,900. The government will reimburse the health district for 65 per cent of that cost, said Lloyd Searcy, vice-president of operations.

Following the meeting with SPMC, there may be some willingness to charge less for the land in question, said Lee Spencer, president and CEO of the health district.

Spencer added there needs to be a much greater level of awareness by the general public about the new long-term care facility.

The health district had looked into renovating Souris Valley, but found the cost to do this (estimated at $25-$35 million) would be more than the cost to build a new facility, because the old facility would have to be brought up to current fire and building code standards.

An election will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 13, to fill the vacancy left in Ward 4 of the health district.

This seat was vacated by Stephen Foley, who resigned to take on more full-time responsibilities with his union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Health Care Council.

As Foley was on several committees during his time on the board, a decision on replacing his position on each of those committees will be made at a later time. He had also been on the budget committee with board chairman Ernest Elder; board member Dave Kerr has now filled that spot.

The commission on health care will be paying a pair of visits to Weyburn, one to meet front-line workers and managers, and the other with the public.

The commissioner of the health care review, Ken Fyke, will meet with a committee of health district workers and managers on Saturday, Oct. 28, and the public forum will be held in Weyburn on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Four members of the South Central board met with Health Minister Pat Atkinson recently in Estevan, which CEO Spencer described as "a sit-down and up-close meeting, with lots of communication going on."

Among the issues raised with the minister is that of funding for capital needs in the health district, and how this relates to districts with budget deficits.

Spencer said even with extra money from the federal government for health care, it's going to be a challenge to many districts to come up with balanced budgets. Some districts have already had their deficits covered by the government, and the remaining districts will be helped out to an extent as well.

Elder said he reminded Atkinson that South Central continues to be one of the few boards that have been consistently running in the black.

"I asked if she was comfortable with having 32 boards set up around the province, and she wouldn't say. She said that's going to be up to Mr. Fyke to address," added board member Toothill.

Concerns with home care and with rising instances of rabies infections were mentioned by Janice Giroux, vice-president of Community Health, Public Health and Home Care for the health district.

Some concerns with home care have been raised with the department, she said, as some people have not been getting the same home care aide they previously had.

Due to a new CUPE contract, the district has had some difficulty in using the same people they were before, said Giroux, but with negotiations for a new contract coming up some of the problems may be dealt with.

Instances of rabies have been on the rise, particularly around Estevan, where 25 of 28 skunks caught were rabid. In one recent incident, 10 people had to receive a series of rabies shots after coming in contact with a rabid kitten. Rabies shots involve a series of five needles.

Giroux said rabies numbers in the Weyburn are average, although there is the potential for the numbers to go higher. Her department would like the public to be more aware and to ensure their pets are vaccinated, and if possible not allow the pets to roam outside; also all animal bites (whether by a known pet or not) should be reported and looked at by a physician.