Geisinger Health System needs approvals from 14 Pennsylvania counties and one New Jersey county to issue up to $850 million in bonds for projects throughout the system.
According to Geisinger, the bonds would advance or refund current bond series and finance projects throughout those counties, including clinic sites in Sunbury and elsewhere in Northumberland County.
The Geisinger Authority, the Montour County body established to finance certain Geisinger capital projects, gave the go-ahead on Tuesday for the issuance.
"We approved a resolution, as requested, for the bonds," said Sue Kauwell, authority chairwoman.
The Montour County Commissioners plan to hold a public meeting and vote on the bond issue during the regular commissioners meeting at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Commissioner Trevor Finn said.
The meeting originally was scheduled for March 14 but was postponed due to the snowstorm.
"Basically, we approve the expenditure in our county and other counties," Finn said. "We're also delegating the responsibility to other governmental units."
That means the other counties where there are Geisinger projects -- Northumberland, Union, Centre, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Perry, Schuylkill and York in Pennsylvania and Atlantic County in New Jersey -- will vote on whether to approve spending of the money in their counties.
The Northumberland County Commissioners will hold a public meeting on April 4 at 1 p.m. in the Administration Center in Sunbury to decide on the bond issue.
Geisinger anticipates using the bond revenue for projects at Geisinger Ophthalmology Sunbury, downtown on Market Street; Geisinger Sunbury on State Street in the city, and Geisinger facilities in Milton, Coal Township, Kulpmont, Point Township, Elysburg, Mount Carmel and Shamokin.
Geisinger has not released specifics on the projects.
"The project plans have not been finalized," Geisinger spokesman Michael Ferlazzo said.
The bond proceeds would advance or refund all or a portion of the authority bonds from 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015; West Shore Area Authority Hospital bonds (for Holy Spirit Hospital of the Sisters of Christian Charity Project), Series 2011 and 2011B, and Mifflin County Hospital Authority bonds (for Lewistown Hospital Obligated Group Project) Series of 2007.
The revenue also would help acquire land, upgrade facilities or install equipment throughout the system.
