In a contentious meeting of the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital commissioners on Nov. 12, board members approved a 2016 budget and tax levy in split votes.

The first resolution of the night was the approval of the district’s budget and tax levy for 2016 and approving the limit factor for the District’s 2016 regular property tax.

Some of thecommissioners took issue with a budget line item, “other expenses,” saying the total allocation $633,804 was too high.

After some heated debate, commissioner David Speikers proposed an amendment to the resolution to lower the total “other expenses” by $100,000. After a vote the amendment to the resolution was approved. The resolution itself was also approved, with only commissioner Gene Pollard opposing it.

The second resolution was for approving an increase in the district’s property tax for 2016. Steve Daniel, CFO for the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, explained that, while they have an estimate of the property taxes, they will not know the final tax levy amount until December. However, the hospital district is required by law to adopt a tax levy resolution by Nov. 15.

Speikers proposed an amendment to set up a blocked account of $34,591 to pay bond debt when they become due. Both the amendment and the resolution itself passed with only Pollard opposed due to disagreement over the Nov. 15 date.

Resolution three, concerning some property that had been deemed surplus and was no longer of use to the district, was passed with relative ease. Resolution four, approving the settlement agreement with the Washington State Department of Revenue, was also passed with little debate. Commissioner Speikers said that the DoR was very reasonable and they could have been much harsher.

The next hospital commissioner meeting is set for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3 at Snoqualmie City Hall.