Wyoming Area Passes Budget; Taxes To Rise

Ada Gleockler 
June 26, 1996 
Ada W. Gleockler, 94, Of Forksville, Died Wednesday At The Sycamore Manor, 
Williamsport.

Friday, June 28, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 2A 





WASHINGTON -- Funding for nearly $43 million of renovations at the
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center cleared the U.S. House of
Representatives on Wednesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The House voted 269-147 in favor of including $42.7 million for the project
in the department's 1997 fiscal year budget. The spending bill now moves to
the U.S. Senate. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pending approval by the Senate, a congressional committee will work to come
up with a compromise version of both bills. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, voted in favor of the bill. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Simply put, we must upgrade this facility immediately," Kanjorski said.
"Medical and surgical intensive care units have only 54 percent of needed
space and patient privacy is non-existent in the hospital's 16 bed wards." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If the money is made available, it would be used on the first major
renovation project at the 305-bed medical center since it was built in 1950.
The medical center serves more than 250,000 veterans across 19 counties in
northeastern and central Pennsylvania. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The planned renovations include: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Construction of a four-story ambulatory care building to be connected to
the main building. The addition would have medical and surgical intensive care
units, outpatient and endoscopic surgery rooms plus pharmacy, laboratory,
radiology and eye clinics. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Construction of two towers for electrical and air conditioning equipment
that is located in the main building. The move would create more space in the
main building. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Renovation of three nursing units. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Additional parking spaces. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the past U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Philadelphia and Rick Santorum,
R-Pittsburgh, said they were committed to securing funds for the renovation
project. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

$43 Million For Renovations To Va Center Passes House