Council endorses Empire sale

In other business Tuesday, the council heard a report about the proposed sale of nonprofit Empire Health Services, which operates Valley Hospital and Medical Center, to for-profit Community Health Systems Inc. Afterward, the council agreed unanimously to endorse the sale as a means of saving the Spokane Valley hospital.

Munson said each council will sign a letter urging the state Department of Health to approve the sale.

“The bottom line is that, if we can’t get this (sale) done, they go out of business and we can’t afford that,” Munson said.