FAIRFAX, Mo. - Bill Slaughter signed his name about 30 times Wednesday to get a $15 million loan. He said it was "scary."

Mr. Slaughter is an area farmer and chairman of the Fairfax Community Hospital board. His signatures helped secure a loan from the health care lending group of Stillwater National Bank in Stillwater, Okla. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture guaranteed the loan as part of its rural development program.

Program specialist Barbara Ross said the transaction was the program's largest loan in Northwest Missouri.

In addition to the loan, the hospital and the Community Health Care Foundation raised $5.1 million for the construction project. "The hospital is a vital part of the community," said Mayor Alva Stoner.

The current hospital employs 120 people. The project will build a new 52,000 square foot critical access facility with 18 acute care beds. The hospital will provide 24-hour emergency services, a diagnostic laboratory, radiology services, obstetrical care, skilled care, home health services and physical, occupational and speech therapies.

The new facility will be located immediately north of the Fairfax city limits along U.S. Highway 59.

The hospital is just one of the improvements planned for Fairfax.

In June, voters overwhelmingly approved a $3 million water/sewer bond issue. The city also received a $6,000 Rural Development grant to help pay engineering fees to study options and recommend solutions to the existing wastewater treatment plant. The city also is studying a plan that would allow Fairfax, Tarkio and Rock Port to share one facility, said Mr. Stoner.

And, the mayor said several streets will be resurfaced because of all the sewer work going on.

Also, just east of the city, a major wind energy farm is being planned that the city is keeping an eye on, the mayor said.

Marshall White can be contacted

at marshall@npgco.com.