EPHRATA - Quincy Valley Medical Center staff pleaded with Live Nation representative Danny Wilde for more money to take care of ill concertgoers.

"I am looking you in your eye and asking for help," the center's board chairman Anthony Gonzalez said during a recent meeting with Grant County commissioners.

Gonzalez was referencing $300,000 in unpaid hospital bills owed to Quincy Valley Medical Center that concert attendees racked up last year and nearly $200,000 the hospital paid in extra overtime and other preparations for concert events at the Gorge Amphitheater.

QVMC CEO Mehdi Merred said that amount of debt is very troublesome for the small, community hospital. He said his hospital typically treats 10-15 patients per day and that increases to about 40 per day during concert events.

"We cannot go another year like this. There is a need for more compensation. I don't see how we don't see the need for more compensation (from Live Nation to the hospital)," Merred said.

Wilde said because an attorney representing QVMC contacted Live Nation's attorney a couple of months ago, he was limited on speaking about compensation. But he did talk about improvements to the medical facilities and staff for this year's events.

He said EMTs will be on staff and in the Gorge, 24 hours a day, beginning before the concert and lasting until after the attendees leave.

Physicians will also be a part of the medical team for the first time, he said.

Free water will be more highlighted at events this year.

"We are not trying to build a hospital, we're trying to take away certain types of injuries," he said.

The meeting included shouting at times and personal stories from people impacted by the concerts.

"I have actually patrolled those concerts as a state trooper. I've seen what goes on during your concerts. The first time I ever saw someone stabbed was during a Bob Dylan concert at the Gorge," Gonzalez said.

"It is unfortunate that your customers use Molly, meth, heroin and Ecstasy (leading to the need for medical treatment)," he said.

Gonzalez said that he owns a feed lot about two miles from the venue and his workers are unable to go to work during concerts because of increased traffic and people camping in his fields.

QVMC consultant Pat Boss echoed Merred in saying "this type of resource drain is not sustainable," and referenced draft legislation by Rep. Matt Manweller permitting county governments to charge an additional $1 fee to concertgoers to offset emergency medical services.

"It doesn't work like that, any additional fees and taxes would be taken from Live Nation," Wilde said. He said his group already pays taxes that benefit the hospital district and attendees add thousands of dollars to the local tax base in the form of sales tax revenue.

Commissioner Cindy Carter noted that Live Nation paid almost $1.2 million in ticket sales taxes to Grant County last year to be used for emergency personnel and the law and justice fund.

Commission Chairwoman Carolann Swartz ended the meeting on a positive note, saying the county is lucky to have the Gorge Amphitheater and they appreciate the meeting with Wilde.