(STURGIS) – Asker Corporation has a vision for the future of Sturgis Hospital.

During Monday’s special meeting, the Sturgis City Commission voted unanimously to approve a Letter of Agreement with Asker Corporation to purchase and take over running Sturgis Hospital. Both the Sturgis Hospital Board of Directors and the Sturgis Building Authority approved the LOA during their meetings Monday afternoon.

During the City Commission meeting, Omar Elias of Asker was in attendance and asked by Vice Mayor Aaron Miller what he sees happening to Sturgis Hospital. Elias says he and his staff are putting a plan in place. ...... {LISTEN}.

Elias says he has been told that the community’s confidence in Sturgis Hospital has gone down in recent years. He says Asker wants to build that back up again, and knows it won’t be an overnight fix.

Elias say they also want to turn Sturgis Hospital from the Rural Emergency Hospital designation they currently have back into an in patient facility. He says following the closing on the hospital, it will be a six to nine month process to see that change made.