Keaton PetersWalker County, Texas, is asking voters to consider a $246 million bond referendum to build a new hospital facility. The proposal, unanimously approved by the Walker County Hospital District (WCHD) Board of Managers in February, would fund construction of a modern medical center in front of the existing Huntsville Memorial Hospital.
The bond would support a state-of-the-art facility with a total of 92 beds. The plans include 60 private medical/surgical rooms, 12 intensive care units, eight labor and delivery rooms, and 22 emergency rooms. Additional features include six inpatient rehabilitation rooms, six operating rooms, three procedure rooms, and space for a future C-section room and six-bed neonatal intensive care unit. Plans for the new hospital also say it will house modern imaging departments, a new café, lobby and patient registration areas.
Walker County, about 70 miles north of Houston, has experienced substantial population growth of about 11.5% per year, with the county now home to approximately 83,000 residents.
The current hospital building would remain operational with expanded laboratory, pharmacy, warehouse and kitchen facilities, while also being repurposed to exclusively house correctional healthcare services through an existing agreement between Huntsville Memorial Hospital and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Correctional care will be provided in a fully secured, separate area with its own emergency room, acute hospital beds, radiology/imaging and pre/post-operating room areas
The push for a new hospital comes as Huntsville’s healthcare providers struggle to keep pace with this rapid community growth, and more rural areas around the country have seen a disproportionate number of hospital closures over recent decades. Officials cite several challenges with the current 47-year-old facility, including the need to separate correctional care from public services, the lack of private patient rooms and infrastructure limitations that make expansion difficult and cost-prohibitive to bring up to current codes and standards.
Hospital officials also point to physician recruitment challenges, noting that the aging facility makes it difficult to attract new medical professionals to the area. The construction of a modern hospital would help recruit specialty physicians not currently available in Huntsville, as well as additional primary care providers. The proposal follows more than a year of community input and planning. According to an FAQ page on the proposal, community leaders encouraged the hospital district to prepare the bond package, which was developed through a master planning process involving architectural consultants and hospital leadership.
If approved, the bond would increase Walker County Hospital District property taxes, though officials note the impact would be partially offset by Huntsville Memorial Hospital’s rent payments for both facilities. In 2022, the WCHD tax rate was $0.1027, below both the statewide average hospital district rate of $0.2263 and the average rate of $0.1549 for districts with similar taxable value.
The proposal highlights several economic benefits beyond improved healthcare, including construction jobs during the building phase and new healthcare positions due to increased capacity. Additional staff positions would be created in clinics of newly recruited physicians, with potential expansions of existing medical practices, and proponents suggest the new facility would strengthen area business development.
According to KBTX-TV, if voters approve the bond, the district plans to issue debt over a 30-year period, with hospital revenue covering a portion of the costs. Officials estimate this approach will minimize the tax impact on residents.
Parties interested in learning more about the bond proposal can attend one of several upcoming town hall meetings through the rest of March and early April.
Early voting for the bond election will run from April 21-29, 2025, with Election Day scheduled for Saturday, May 3. All early voting will take place at the Walker County Storm Shelter, with Election Day featuring countywide polling locations allowing residents to vote at any polling location regardless of precinct.
Photo Courtesy
Huntsville Memorial Hospital
