After three years of legal wrangling, Boone Memorial Hospital in Madison is now an independently run, nonprofit organization. The change occurred July 1. Tommy Mullins, Boone Memorial's longtime chief executive officer, said becoming a nonprofit would speed the hospital's campaign to replace its aging facility. Boone Memorial's current facility was built in 1964. Administrators want to replace the old, cramped building with a new hospital. On Aug. 1, the hospital applied for a $34 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The loan would cover the full cost of the new building. "We should know in 60 days if we qualify, and for what amount," Mullins said.