By Daniel Brunty
The Choctaw Plaindealer
The Choctaw County Board of Supervisors discussed the possibility of acquiring a financial assessment of the county hospital during its Dec. 18 regular meeting at the Choctaw County Courthouse boardroom.
The board met with Andy Taggert and David Anthony Chandler of Taggart, Rimes, & Graham, PLLC law firm out of Ridgeland.
Chandler serves as Senior Counsel at TRG following his recent retirement as the first Executive Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, as well as being a former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice.
The men were present at the meeting to discuss with the supervisors the direction the county would like to proceed, in regards to the county hospital.
The TRG practice’s focus is in the areas of business and corporate counsel, transactions and strategies; healthcare; selected litigated matters; and government, elections and political law.
Taggert began by explaining to the supervisors that with his experience with healthcare and the legalities of it, as well as his previous experience as serving as a supervisor himself, he was only speaking to them with no specific agenda except to suggest some things they may want to consider regarding the hospital.
“Doing a standalone community hospital business is just hard and getting harder,” Taggert said.
Taggert explained that with the healthcare scene nationally possibly making drastic changes, it will only make operating a community hospital even more difficult. He explained that with federal government making changes to the cost side, making it more difficult for additional revenue to make up the deficit in costs.
“Very few small hospitals over time are going to be able to take care of patients at the national costs,” Taggert said. “So what I am here to suggest to you that you consider the prospect of two or three different directions that you may want to go. One of them is to have an assessment performed that actually could provide you with a detailed analysis financially where you are and what your future looks like. That is a very valuable first step in deciding in whether you want to do anything different to your hospital.”
Taggert explained after that step, the board could be provided an overview of what the next steps could be following a financial assessment.
“Those options at that time include a lease-purchase arrangement, an out-right sale of the facility, or an affiliation of some sort with another hospital system,” Taggert said.
Taggert then explained another option.
“There are a number of hospital systems both in the state and outside that are interested in acquiring community hospitals because the theory is they as a part of a larger system are more likely able to match the national average cost demand than a standalone community hospital would,” Taggert said.
Taggert then discussed the matter of the national opioid abuse epidemic that the country is currently facing.
“Many people are trying to do about it from the legal side of things,” Taggert said. “Is there a mechanism in place for county and local governments who are having to pay for extra services? We have been asked to join with some folks who are talking to counties around the state about the possibility of considering taking on a plaintiff’s role against the pharmaceutical manufacturers who have forced these drugs onto the public without a full explanation to the medical profession or the consuming public what the consequences really could be.”
Taggert explained that the board would have the opportunity to join this lawsuit once they are contacted.
Taggert took questions from the board, and then exited the meeting with Chandler.
In other news:
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to approve the agenda for the meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by John Shumaker and the board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Chris McIntire to approve the Solid Waste Deletions, Adjustment, and Assessments as presented. The motion was seconded by John Shumaker and the board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to approve the claims docket dated December 18, 2017 as presented and order the Clerk to settle by means of pay warrants. The motion was seconded by John Shumaker and the board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to approve the claim of Delta Telephone for the Library in the amount of $410.38 and order the Clerk to settle by means of a pay warrant. The motion was seconded by Greg Fondren and the Board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by John Shumaker to adjourn the December 2017 term. The motion was seconded by Chris McIntire and the Board voted unanimously in support.
Dec. 7 Regular Meeting
The Choctaw County Board of Supervisors approved the fifth member of the county’s newly formed Library Board of Trustees during its Dec. 7 regular meeting at the Choctaw County Courthouse boardroom.
During the board’s Nov. 20 meeting, the supervisors met with representatives of the Mississippi Library Commission to discuss the options the county could take in regards to reopening the Choctaw County Library, which was closed September 29. The supervisors made the decision at the time to establish a library system separate of a known library system. With this decision, the supervisors created a library board consisting of a choice of each supervisor.
At the time of nominating members for the board, District 5 Eric Chambers nominated Ackerman Alderman Billy Ganann to serve on the library board. The representatives at the time informed the supervisors that since Ganann served as alderman, it was a possibility that he would not be able to serve on the library board.
At the time, board attorney Kasey Young stated that the county would need to determine if it Ganann could legally and ethically serve in the position.
During the board’s Dec. 7 meeting, Chambers made a motion to appoint Ganann to the library board. District 2 Supervisor Greg Fondren seconded the motion.
District 3 Supervisor Chris McIntire then asked Chambers if he had been in contact with Ganann, and stated that he has spoken with Ganann about the position himself. He stated that he informed Ganann that the position that he was being appointed for was not an advisory role, but an actual trustee role.
“I called Kasey (board attorney) and asked her about this and she said this would be an ethics issue that needed to be cleared up,” McIntire said. “I am all for him, but I just don’t want us to be doing something wrong and everyone says we are doing it wrong and we go ahead and do it any way and redo it again.”
McIntire also made another point regarding naming Ganann to the board.
“If he (Ganann) gets on this board, then the Town of Ackerman cannot fund money to the library,” McIntire said. “I don’t think that is fair, when you have Weir providing a facility and paying utility bills for their library. The only thing we were getting from Ackerman was around $1,200 a year.”
Montgomery also stated that after talking to Ganann he learned that Ganann was waiting on contact from a representative of the state’s ethics commission regarding if Ganann could ethically serve on the library board while concurrently serving as aldermen.
Chambers then replied to both men’s statements.
“Billy Ganann called me last night and told me that Tom Hood did call him late,” Chambers said. “He said Tom Hood told him that ‘I don have any problem with you an alderman being on the board of the trustees for the library.’ And that is what Kasey asked about. She stressed the point about the ethics commission. As long as he does not accept any money and the town does not give any money, he can serve. There are AG opinions out there that state the same thing.”
Chambers continued.
“Kasey said, and I would rather her be here, but I think you all will realize that him serving is his issue to take care of.”
Following more discussion regarding the position, most of the supervisors agreed that if any issue were to arise from appointing Ganann that it would be Ganann’s responsibility.
The motion was to appoint Billy Gannan to The Choctaw County Library Board for a term of 5 years. The Board voted unanimously in support to appoint Ganann.
In other news:
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to approve the agenda for today’s meeting as presented. Chris McIntire seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to add the Library to The agenda for today’s meeting. Eric Chambers seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Chris McIntire to approve the Emergency Management Performance Grant as presented and authorize the President to sign on the Board’s behalf. Greg Fondren seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Eric Chambers to recess the December 2017 term until December 13, 2017. John Shumaker seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously in support.
Dec. 13 Regular Meeting
The following items were approved/discussed during the board’s Dec. 13 regular meeting:
A motion was made by Chris McIntire to approve the agenda for today’s meeting as presented. John Shumaker seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Greg Fondren to add District 2 to the agenda for today’s meeting. Joey Stephenson seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Greg Fondren to authorize County Equipment on the private property of Steve Green on Bluff Springs Road to correct and prevent runoff from damaging the adjacent County roadway. Chris McIntire seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to authorize the President to execute a contract with Master Craft Builders and Anderson Contracting dealing with the Airport Project awarded at the December 4, 2017 Board meeting. John Shumaker seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Chris McIntire to approve the claim of Thomas Auction dealing with the dump truck for District 3 in the amount of $18,500.00 and order the Clerk to settle by means of a pay warrant. John Shumaker seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously in support.
A motion was made by Joey Stephenson to renew the health insurance for County employees with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Mississippi. John Shumaker seconded the motion and the board voted by majority in support with Supervisors Fondren and Chambers voting against.
A motion was made by Chris McIntire to recess the December term until December 18, 2017 at 9:00 AM. John Shumaker seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously in support.
