Centre County approves tax-exempt financing authorization for Mount Nittany Medical Center projects

The Centre County Board of Commissioners voted to approve Resolution 14 of 2026, authorizing tax-exempt financing through the Centre County Hospital Authority for projects at Mount Nittany Medical Center. The motion was made and seconded; commissioners voted Aye and the motion carried.

Tom Schrack, solicitor for the Centre County Hospital Authority, told the board the authority is proposing a commercial-paper program—a short-term borrowing mechanism that can act like a line of credit—to lower financing costs for hospital projects. "This particular project is a commercial paper program," Schrack said, and he explained the Municipal Authorities Act requires the authority to seek a county determination that the project furthers "the health, safety, and welfare of the community." Schrack also said the financing "does not involve any taxing powers or any assets of the county whatsoever." The authority previously held a federal TEFRA hearing on Sept. 2 and unanimously approved the project at its Sept. 25 meeting.

Brian Roach, identified as CFO of Mountain Indy Health, described the projects the program would support: finishing the patient tower (scheduled to open to patients in December) and a new medical office building in Bellefonte that recently broke ground. He said the authorized ceiling would be up to $150,000,000 (a not-to-exceed authorization, not necessarily the final amount). When asked about an ongoing lawsuit regarding a designation, Roach said the matter is "still in progress" and that they expect more clarity early next calendar year. Commissioners approved the resolution and thanked the presenters.