Geary Community Hospital officials received the go-ahead from the Public Building Commission to continue work toward an agreement on a long-term partnership with Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Joe Stratton, Geary Community Hospital CEO, provided the update. “I had an opportunity to put forth the project and they agreed to it and made a motion to approve our continuation with the project so we could further our mission here with Children’s Mercy Hospital.”

Stratton said work is still being done on the lease agreement with Children’s Mercy Hospital. “I’m hoping by the end of January we’ll have things in order with that part of the operation and we’ll have some more specifics on what specialty clinics will be out here.”

Construction work and fundraising would have to be done before the project is complete; Stratton estimates “if everything goes right, it’ll be some time next year about this time we might be able to open.”