Panama City - The documents needed to lease Bay Medical Center for the next 40 years could be signed as early as Friday. All parties involved took part in a workshop Thursday to tie up some loose ends and discuss concerns about the lease.

If Bay Medical Center's Board of Trustees sign the lease agreement Thusday, it still needs to be approved by Bay County Commissioners. But if the county says no, the issue will go to the voters.

Bay County Commissioners have called the 40 year lease of Bay Medical Center one of the toughest decisions they will make as a commission. At Thursday’s workshop commissioners expressed some of their concerns about Sacred Heart and LHP possibly flipping the hospital and the length of the lease.

"A 60 year lease by any other name it is a sale and if it is a sale it removes all the contingency liability from the people from our children down the road," said George Gainer, Bay County Commissioner.

But LHP and Sacred Heart officials disagree.

"We're comfortable with the document the way it is now it gives us the protection we need as though it were a sale, but it also gives them the better enforceability and it gives them the buy back option at the end of the lease term," said Jim Shannon, LHP Group.

Sacred Heart Vice President Henry Stovall once again assured the commissioners Sacred Heart is committed to the deal.

"I think we've got a strong record in terms of our service to the people in need in the panhandle and we absolute plan to continue that here," said Henry Stovall, Sacred Heart VP.

"The courthouse is filled up with insurance's and the difference is and I’ve said this many times is the dullest pencil is better than the sharpest memory and in 60 years from now I will only be 129 and I don't know how old Mr. Stovall will be but we're talking about a 60 year situation here," said Gainer.

Gainer says he is still against the lease. Another commissioner says he still has a few concerns but is more confidant now in making a decision.

"Through our staff and the company that we hired southwest investments to look through this project I think we caught up with them and I think its a better contract than it was and I think its one I can support," said Mike Thomas, Bay County Commissioner.

Bay Medical Centers Board of Trustees could sign the lease as early as Thursday during their 11:00 am meeting.