Hospital District Shows Off Expansion       Gonzales Healthcare Systems in Gonzales, Texas: State Rep. Edmund Kuempel snipped the ribbon to formally open the expanded facilities recently completed at Gonzales Healthcare Systems. The ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off an open house on Friday, June 27th during which visitors were taken on tours of the hospital’s new Emergency Department, Outpatient Services Area, Imaging, and Laboratory Departments. Gonzales Healthcare Systems has experienced tremendous growth over the past 13 years. From 1990 to 2002, net revenues have increased over 400 percent (not including tax dollars). The hospital has grown from 78 employees in 1990 to 250 employees to date. The expansion project was financed with a bond issue approved by voters of the hospital district. The project originally was budgeted at a total of $6.1 million including $4.96 million for construction, $771,300 for equipment and $413,000 for design services. The project’s budget was revised upward to $6.5 million including $5.3 million for construction. Before the ribbon cutting, Chuck Norris, CEO, introduced hospital district board members, local officials, and other guests. Kuempel was introduced by John Fritz, who is both a longtime friend of Kuempel’s and a member of the Gonzales Healthcare Systems board. “What you have is a building, but what makes this facility work are the people. Gonzales is very fortunate to have the people to make this a reality and make this come to fruition, and it’s going to be Gonzales’ story in history, from ‘Come & Take It,’ to right now being on the cutting edge of technology, the cutting edge of technology in the medical field,” Kuempel said. Board Member Greg Peterek, thanked those in the community who helped make it possible to get the bond issue passed. The ribbon-cutting was enjoyed by hospital employees, and many members of the community.