Why ​Hamilton County won't take over the former Mount Airy hospital

Hamilton County commissioners formally said on Monday what had been obvious for months: They won’t take over the former Mercy Mount Airy hospital site because it costs too much to renovate it for the county’s needs.

Agreement amongst the commissioners was unanimous. For commissioners Greg Hartmann and Chris Monzel, the main issue was cost. Building out the facility would have required a new revenue source, and Hartmann and Monzel generally oppose increasing taxes. Beyond cost, for Commissioner Todd…