The Newton City Council is expected to vote on a $50,000 contribution to MercyOne Newton Medical Center’s Emergency Department tonight. The money will be earmarked for the renovation of the department. The hospital has plans for a $5 million upgrade of the Emergency Department, which was built in 1971 and last renovated in 1994. The hospital says the department has numerous design and infrastructure limitations that impact both patient care and staff efficiency. These issues include insufficient treatment space and triage areas, a lack of negative pressure rooms for infection control, and inadequate exam room sizes. MercyOne Newton is the sole emergency care provider in Jasper County, and takes in over 10,000 patient visits annually. The renovation of the Emergency Department has been identified as a top community health need. If the Newton City Council approves the $50,000 contribution during their 6:30 meeting tonight at City Hall, the money would come from the North Central Urban Renewal Area fund.