Officials updated those at the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon on Tuesday about the effort to open a hospital in the county.

Judge Sibley Reynolds with the Chilton County Health Care Authority and Kevin Flynn with St. Vincent’s Health System both spoke about the project.

Reynolds was introduced by Chamber President Jannette Brasher.

He talked about the Authority’s long relationship with St. Vincent’s before telling those in attendance where the project currently stands.

A purchase agreement is in place with the owner of land off Highway 145 in Clanton, timber is being cut, the property is being surveyed and architects are being commissioned, Reynolds said.

Reynolds then introduced Flynn.

“This is an exciting time for Chilton County,” Flynn said. “It’s been wonderful to work with the leadership of Chilton County.”

Flynn drew a parallel to St. Vincent’s St. Clair facility, which opened in 2011. The St. Clair facility is publicly owned but operated by St. Vincent’s.

“We recognize it’s not as easy as just building a hospital building,” Flynn said. “There’s so much more that goes into it.”

Flynn said architects that worked on the St. Clair facility are also being employed for the Chilton County project, so their experience could be beneficial.

Also, St. Vincent’s officials have had discussions with those at the St. Clair facility to get ideas about what works with the design and what could be changed–ideas that could be used in the construction of the local hospital.

Still, Flynn said the hospital will ultimately be unique to Chilton County.

“We firmly believe that health care is a local phenomenon,” he said.

Flynn said there are eight counties in Alabama that don’t have their own hospital, and that Chilton County has the largest population of those counties.

“Our goal is to build a first-class, state-of-the-art facility that the people of Chilton County will be proud of,” Flynn said.

Flynn estimated that the new hospital facility would be two stories, 75,000 square feet, contain 30 beds and employ about 100 people when it opens.

Reynolds and Flynn answered questions about what services would be offered at the hospital, whether local doctors would follow their patients into the new hospital while they receive care, and what would happen with the empty Chilton Medical Center building.

Reynolds and Flynn thanked the Clanton City Council, Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver, Central Alabama Electric Cooperative and other local officials for their support with the project.

The next Chamber luncheon will be Sept. 2, also at Clanton First United Methodist Church. Meteorologist James Spann will be the guest speaker.