Clarke County Democrat

GH hospital seeks more county funds




The Clarke County Commission had more questions than answers for Grove Hill Memorial Hospital and the hospital’s request for a $100,000 appropriation.

Interim Administrator Mitchell Monsour, speaking to the commission at its Tuesday meeting, discussed what he called positive things going on at the hospital. He cited increases in daily patient care in the hospital, projecting 23,000 visits for the year. Monsour added that GHMH would have more than 200 baby deliveries as well as averaging 925 Emergency Room visits each month. He gave a run-down of initiatives that GHMH has started and will be doing in the future.

“It is a good investment,” Monsour said. “It is jobs for the people and care for the citizens. Not all of the problems have been solved, but we are working daily and we are headed in the right direction.

“Also, to address the elephant in the room,” he added. “We wish the Thomasville hospital well and remind you that we, at GHMH, will offer things and be able to do things that they cannot… it is like McDonald’s and Burger King. Both can exist next door to each other.

“We hope you can see fit to help fund us with an additional $100,000 that we will use towards the IRS debt.”

But the commissioners wanted to hear about the finances, specifically how much the IRS debt was, the amount owed vendors as well as revenue compared to expenses.

“This is public money. It is money that belongs to the people of Clarke County and is not ours,” Bill Taylor said. “I want to know how much is still owed to the IRS. That should not be a secret. I think the public should know.”

Monsour stated that the amount was now $500,000 and Taylor asked, “we gave you $100,000 already and you owed how much then?”

Commissioner Stan Hutto asked, “As far as the IRS debt, how much is owed now versus six months ago. What are the monthly expenses now versus six months ago and what is the revenue stream now versus what it was six months ago?

“I have seen great strides from what I can tell,” Hutto said. “It looks like the hospital is headed in the right direction. We are seeing increases across the board and I am impressed with what I am seeing, but those are questions that I still have.”

Commissioner Jackie Ray Rush took issue with the mentioning of the Thomasville hospital at all. “I would rather you not even mention Thomasville. They have nothing to do with what we are talking about here,” Rush said.

The matter of the Coffeeville clinic closing came up and Monsour said they are working to “make sure the clinic will be open every Saturday each month.”

Commissioner Rhondel Rhone asked about the question of transportation. “We, the county, do not provide transportation. That is the ATRC [Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission] that handles that,” he said, in reference to the cost of citizens being brought to Grove Hill.

Taylor added one last question about how many outsiders have been hired in by Monsour at the hospital.

Monsour named CFO Doug Arnold but said that others had been brought in before he was hired as interim administrator.

In the new business notes Hutto asked that the request by the hospital be put on the agenda for the next meeting.

The commission heard from Department of Human Resources Director Jaquel Taylor. She started as director in September and this was her first visit with commissioners.

“I want you know our desire is to continue to work with everyone for the safety and well-being of the area kids,” she said.

Commissioners approved, after changing the request to paying half of the travel cost, a request by the License Commission office for a trip to Prattville on Jan. 15-16. Originally it was asked for two people to take two vehicles, but in the past they have made employees ride together on such trips.

They also approved a one-day trip to Atmore for the EMA office for a conference on Nov. 21.

Also approved was the request from Sheriff Ray Norris on the purchase of nine trucks (six 4×4’s and three 2-wheel drive). The money had been appropriated in the budget for $80,000 per year for four years. “After talking with the county attorney, if we use local banks, with a different interest rate, then we can fully pay for these in three years,” Norris said. “But that is something that you would have to decide.”

Commissioners also declared nine old vehicles as surplus and to make them available for bids now.

Originally in the bidding process the trade-in of these old vehicles was part of the purchase price, but the auditors suggested that it would be better to be split into a purchase for the new, and surplus for the old.

“We have neglected the transportation for years and now we have worn out vehicles,” Taylor said. Rush echoed those sentiments, “We have been wearing out our mechanic by having to constantly work on these vehicles. This is something that is needed.”

The new vehicles will come with a GPS tracking system that will allow Norris to follow each vehicle. “I get more complaints about deputies and how they are driving,” he said. “This, along with numbering each vehicle, will allow us to know which deputy may not be driving like they should.”

The commission approved an invoice to Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc. for the Westervelt project in the amount of $18,750.

There was no work session on Monday due to the Veterans Day holiday, so all of the business was taken care of in the Tuesday meeting.

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