A local family that has actively worked to get a hospital built in Rio Communities could benefit financially from the hospital’s proposed location.

Ralph DeBaca and his father, Dan DeBaca, have advocated for the hospital and its proposed site off the Manzano Expressway in Rio Communities. Both have participated in at least one pro-hospital group — the Valencia County Action Committee, or VCAC.

That committee, made up of concerned citizens, was formed in response to the stalled construction of the hospital, as well as to combat negative public perception of the project caused in part by an ongoing lawsuit challenging the legality of the project.

The hospital project remains in litigation at the New Mexico Court of Appeals. A panel of judges is reviewing the case but it’s unclear how soon a decision will be reached on whether or not the project can move forward as proposed.

In September, the county commissioners took what amounted to a vote of no confidence in the direction of the project, seeking to settle the lawsuit and move the project in a new direction. The county hasn’t yet settled the case.

Throughout much of the legal and political wrangling, VCAC distributed pro-hospital informational material and members spoke in favor of the hospital at county commission meetings. The group also erected signs in favor of the hospital and the site, many of which can still be seen along major thoroughfares.

Some locals, including county officials, have for months publicly and privately questioned whether or not the DeBacas have a conflict of interest in promoting the hospital project and proposed site.

According to documents obtained by Valencia!, Dan DeBaca owns 10 acres of land at the intersection of the Manzano Expressway and Hillandale Avenue, near the proposed hospital site.

The documents also show DeBaca Enterprises, a family business, commissioned the design of a site master plan for the 10 acres.

The master plan indicates DeBaca Enterprises would like to develop a residential and commercial subdivision on the land, including 57 patio homes, a gas station and convenience store, and a national franchise restaurant.

The master plan also notes that the proposed hospital site is immediately east of the DeBaca property.

“This was going to be developed way before the hospital was even intended to be there,” Ralph DeBaca said, adding, “That site wasn’t picked by Ralph DeBaca or Dan DeBaca.”

DeBaca explained that the hospital site was approved by a vote of the county commission after multiple sites were carefully reviewed by a public committee, which later made site recommendations to the commission.

He said there were clear reasons why the Rio Communities site was selected. Other sites had a slew of inadequacies, he said, including not qualifying for federal funding, not having the needed infrastructure, not being accessible to county residents, and not having political support among influential local elected officials.

“The decision had to do with the criteria for a hospital of that magnitude — what it would take,” he said.

DeBaca stressed that the Rio Communities site is still the only site suited for the hospital, saying, for example, that the land on which the hospital would be constructed is being donated by the Valley Improvement Association. He said he doesn’t know of another site that fits the criteria and comes with free land.

Since their September vote, commissioners have considered other locations for the hospital, including sites west of Belen and Los Chavez. The land at one of those sites would be free.

While DeBaca acknowledged his family will benefit from the Rio Communities site, he said all county residents stand to benefit.

“Saving lives is the number one reason for having a hospital,” DeBaca said. “We’re one of the largest counties in New Mexico and we don’t have a hospital.”

Related documents:

(Valencia! redacted two addresses, six phone and fax numbers and 11 signatures.)

This page was published on December 11, 2009 at 2:36pm and is filed under Hospital.