Special meeting planned for hospital matters

November 9, 2006

By PAUL ROY
Independent Herald Publisher

HUNTSVILLE — While the date and time has yet to be announced, County Commission will meet in a special called session next week to deal with financial matters related to the Scott County Hospital, it was decided at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee here Monday night.

Committee Chairman Jeff Watson said the special meeting is needed as the result of a recent informal meeting held with officials of Attentus Healthcare, lessee of the hospital, during which it was revealed that:

• Attentus is requesting an adjustment in its initial lease payment to Scott County in the amount of $152,069;

• Attentus is requesting the return of a $5,257 overpayment of inventory acquired from the previous lease-holder, Community Health Systems; and,

• The lease agreement between Attentus Healthcare and Scott County states that the county will acquire the property on which a new hospital will be built and Attentus Healthcare will make lease payments on that property once the hospital is up and running.

Mayor Rick Keeton pointed out that the Building & Grounds Committee had earlier dealt with two other hospital-related matters (a leaky roof at the Professional Building and efforts to correct problems associated with code violations of the hospital’s three elevators).

But the most pressing — and most costly — problems need to be considered at a special meeting in advance of the Commission’s upcoming regular monthly meeting on November 20, at which time official action can be taken to correct them.

Mayor Keeton also stated that he and County Attorney John Beaty would be attending the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency’s Certificate of Need (CON) hearing in Nashville on November 15 to support Attentus Healthcare’s efforts to build a new hospital.

Beaty said that Scott County is obligated to return the $152,069 overpayment to Attentus Healthcare, but added that the county could then seek reimbursement for that money from the previous lease-holder (CHS).
Keeton added that while Attentus also has a right to collect interest on that overpayment, he has a “verbal agreement” with the company that it “will not invoke any interest costs” if reimbursed in a timely manner. That reimbursement, said Mayor Keeton, would come from the $2.8 million in hospital lease payments being held in reserve in the county’s budget.

As far as the purchase of the land on which the hospital is to be built is concerned, it’s still apparently a topic of debate, since the letter of intent indicated that the county could make the decision of whether to buy the hospital or allow Attentus to do so, while the lease agreement specifically states that the county will acquire the property.

Keeton says even if the county does purchase the property (at a cost of around $800,000), Attentus would be paying Scott County “more than enough” for the use of it to retire the debt.

In other action Monday night, the Intergovernmental Committee voted unanimously to acquire a plaque honoring the late Scott County Sheriff’s Deputy John-John Yancey to be installed inside the new Scott County Justice Center.

That action followed a brief meeting with a delegation of the fallen deputy’s family, who requested the memorial be considered for the Justice Center.

The late deputy’s father, Johnny Yancey, provided the committee with a photograph of a plaque on the outside of the new Roane County Justice center honoring fallen officer Jason Scott, to be used as a model for one in memory of John-John Yancey.

The committee also:

• Heard a report from Mayor Keeton that bids would be opened on the construction of the Justice Center on November 9 at 1 p.m., at which time they would be taken under review by the project manager. Keeton said that the Scott County Finance Committee is expected to award the bids in its meeting on November 20 and later in the day County Commission would have an opportunity to give its final approval to the successful bidders;

• Approved the posting of a 35 mph speed limit sign on a section of Old Buffalo Road in the Anandell community; and,

• Heard a report from County Attorney John Beaty that the Commission’s recent action to rescind a resolution eliminating the need for roll call votes of all motions fell one vote short of the 10 required for passage;

BUILDING & GROUNDS COMMITTEE

Commissioner Leonard Bertram called the meeting to order at 5:38 p.m. and began a discussion on recent inspections and repairs being made at the Scott County Jail,

That discussion culminated with a motion by Odeva Byrd and all-aye vote to purchase and install four sheets of shatter-proof glass for windows at the jail.

The committee also voted to spend $600 to $800 for materials and have county maintenance personnel make repairs to a leaky roof on the Professional Building at the Scott County Hospital.

In a related matter, it was announced that Chairman Bertram and his committee will meet at the hospital to study a $20,000 to $30,000 proposal to bring the three hospital elevator up to 2007 codes and standards — action which must take place before the spring of the year, according to County Mayor Keeton.

The committee was informed that engineers from the University of Memphis would be in Scott County this week for preliminary inspection of several county-owned buildings (including schools), for the start of a state-funded energy audit of public buildings.

Much of the committee’s time Monday night was spent on a discussion of the public’s use of the former Winfield school building, after a request had been made by the Junior Pro Basketball organization to be allowed to use the gym for its practice sessions.

After a lengthy debate, the committee voted 5-1 to approve a motion by Paul Strunk to develop a use policy for the facility, after which Chairman Bertram appointed a special committee to develop that policy: Strunk (as chairman), fellow Fifth District Commissioner Rothel “Tub” Cross, Seventh District Commissioner Willie Boyatt, and Fifth District School Board Member Esther Abbott.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Chairman Mike Slaven’s committee was called to order at 5 p.m., at which time Mayor Keeton informed the committee of a time table which had been developed for launching a major grant and loan funded project to extend sewer service to several areas of the county.

Mayor Keeton went through a list of items which needed to be done (public notice, initial resolution, bond resolution, etc.) before work could commence on a project to connect residences and businesses to sewer trunk lines in place in the Fairview, Robbins, Mountain View and Helenwood areas.

All the measures outlined by Mayor Keeton were approved on a single motion and forwarded to the full Commission for final action during its upcoming November 20 meeting.

On a motion by Alan Reed and an all-aye vote, the committee approved the purchase of two $500 tables for county officials at the Saturday, November 18 Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame dinner, silent auction and Hall of Fame inductees’ ceremony.

The committee also:

• Voted to endorse an effort launched by Roane County to get the state to equalize medical charges for people who have limited or no health insurance coverage;

• Heard an update on industrial recruitment efforts by Mayor Keeton ­— specifically about one potential industrial prospect from Canada seeking to relocate in Scott County. Keeton said the woodworking tool and equipment manufacturer has been established in Canada for the past nine years, but that 80% of its customer base is in the U.S. He said if the company establishes its plant in Scott County, it would begin with a workforce of 50 to 55;

• Heard a report from Commissioner Ernest Phillips that the investigation into the missing caboose from Huntsville is still in the works, and is currently being looked into by a detective from the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, with that information being turned over to the District Attorney General’s Office. “This is going to work out one way or the other . . . it’s not going to die,” Phillips told the committee.

EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMITTEE

Chairman Ernest Phillips convened the Emergency Services Committee at 7:50 p.m. and began its work with a report from Scott County Ambulance Service Director Jim Reed.

Reed reported on a recent trip to a Medicare reimbursement conference in Nashville, and made a request to solicit bids on a new ambulance.

Scott County Emergency Management Director Wayne Shoemaker spoke briefly about the county’s efforts to come into compliance with the National Incident Management System’s (NIMS) guidelines in order to remain eligible for Homeland Security grants.

Mayor Keeton pointed out that at least three positions on the county’s 911 Board need to be replaced with new appointments due to non-attendance at regularly scheduled monthly meetings.

The committee also heard a report that the recent auction of surplus property raised a disappointing $23,000, only $4,000 to $5,000 of which is the county’s part, according to Finance Director Keith Jeffers.

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