Word finally came down from Jackson that the governor had signed the bill that will allow NRMC to proceed with their bankruptcy filing.

Fortunately, the Trustees already had the name and number for a highly regarded bankruptcy attorney in their Rolodex, from a few short years ago.

I was happy to read the Trustee’s attorney says they will sit down with the Supervisors and update them on the process. “We need to sit down with the board of supervisors to go over the plan and make sure we are all in agreement about the process,” he said. “It is not a supervisors’ matter, but the board (of trustees) has tried to keep the supervisors appraised of what is going on.” Long overdue, from what the supervisors say!

And, I assume he might think it is not a supervisors’ matter because of the way the bill is worded. You see, the bankruptcy filing comes at the “discretion” of the NRMC Board of Trustees only. What a crock!

It is absolutely a supervisors’ matter, an employees’ matter, a residents’, taxpayers’ and voters’ matter. In fact, it is surely one of, if not the biggest, financial matter ever considered by County Government.

Yet these few people are trying to conduct this matter out of public view. I can only wonder why.

Mr. Brown also said they would petition for “debtor in possession” status, which will allow the current administration to remain in place throughout the process.

“If the court appoints somebody from the outside, it can be very expensive,” he said. So, let’s reward all of the people who did such a great job leading NRMC into bankruptcy, with jobs, as long as we can keep someone from the outside getting a peak at what is going on here. Are you kidding me?

If it can be printed quickly enough, I am going to use this letter to challenge the supervisors to not allow this type of petition to be filed.

The entire Administration should be relieved now. Once the filing is made, the Trustees can be relieved of their duty, having fulfilled their obligations as Trustees. An outside Bankruptcy Trustee should in fact be brought in immediately to take over the facility. I am sure there are people with experience in such matters to be found.

And to whom it may concern: After reading the article last weekend concerning questions about NRMC employees’ insurance benefits and PERS payments, if there are shenanigans going on in that regard, if you think you have a problem now with me blathering in The Natchez Democrat, wait until you hear from Mr. Attorney General on those matters.

Yes folks, that it what it has come to. We need an outside bankruptcy trustee to come in immediately. If nothing more, than to preserve documents and information, so that we will have a chance to get to the bottom of this mess, once the investigation begins.

That’s right, I said it. Now, this matter cannot go away without an investigation. Until now, we have been dealing with simple incompetence. Now, there may be potential malfeasance, which will have to be investigated

I find myself now needing to apologize to everyone. I promised myself when I sat down to write this letter, that I would not turn it into another NRMC rant. I guess I am unable to control myself when I read the baloney the public is being fed.

I guess I ate too much baloney when I was a kid, I don’t like it now that I am an adult!

 

Chuck Fields is an Adams County resident.