(STURGIS) – There’s been a change in the date when the City of Sturgis will receive payment for the sale of Sturgis Hospital.

Wednesday night, Sturgis City Manager Andrew Kuk provided an update to the City Commission on the sale of the Hospital to Asker Corporation. On Monday, the Commissioners approved a Letter of Understanding for the sale of the Hospital, and the City would be paid $3 million by Asker Corporation by October 16.

Kuk says that date has to be moved out slightly. ...... {LISTEN}.

The Commissioners unanimously approved the date change.

Omar Elias of Asker Corporation was at the Monday special meeting, and 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.