Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon announced Friday, Aug. 15, that a public hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, at Sweet Springs elementary school on the subject of the impending sale of the I-70 Medical Center.

Missouri law gives the attorney general 20 days to evaluate the proposed agreement between non-profit I-70 Medical Center and for-profit Hospital Management Consulting before the deal can be finalized, according to a news release from Nixon's office.

At the hearing, the hospital board will be given an opportunity to make a presentation followed by comments -- either in favor or opposed to the deal -- by members of the public.

The attorney general's office is also inviting written comments on the proposed transaction. Comments can be sent to Attorney General's Office, P.O. Box 899, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or to ag@ago.mo.gov.

Letters should include "Attention: Sweet Springs hospital sale" on the envelope and e-mail should include "Sweet Springs hospital sale" in the subject line.

Nixon said his review would focus on ensuring that any sale would be as a result of a fair process, that a fair prices was received for th4e assets and that proceeds from the sale would be used appropriately and to further the hospital's non-profit mission.

"These three Ps -- process, price and proceeds -- are tthe guiding principles for any non-profit assets and public hearings are an important part of that," Nixon said.