LEBANON - The city can skip public bidding and contract directly with Samaritan Health Services for public works projects related to a planned medical college, the city council has decided.

Councilors voted unanimously Wednesday to allow the exemption as part of an economic development agreement between the city and Samaritan, also approved Wednesday.

Samaritan will act as general contractor for the college project and has committed to pay prevailing - meaning union - wages on all labor costs, according to information from City Manager John Hitt. Hitt also said officials told the city Samaritan will subcontract to a wide variety of construction companies.

Hitt's report to the council said the exemption should save city money because it allows Samaritan to take on the preparation of bid documents and manage engineering services, something the city doesn't have sufficient personnel to do.

It also ensures the project will be completed more quickly and to the degree of technical complexity the college will require, he said.

The economic development agreement is between Lebanon's North Gateway Urban Renewal Agency and Samaritan Health Services. It allows the urban renewal district to reimburse Samaritan through taxes received by the URD for most of the improvements that will be necessary to develop the college campus.

Samaritan is working with Western University of Health Sciences, based in Pomona, Calif., to build the medical school property across Highway 20 from Samaritan Lebanon General Hospital. Site prep work is expected to start this summer and the first classes are slated for August 2011.

The general development plan for the 55-acre parcel calls for mixed-use development, with an event center, a conference center, office and retail space, and a research/industrial park planned in addition to the medical school.

Democrat-Herald