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Hospital groups meet with Supervisors
Published Thursday, May 29, 2008
NATCHEZ — In a marathon meeting on Wednesday the Adams County Board of Supervisors met with two groups that could possibly conduct studies on Natchez Regional Medical Center.
The board interviewed Burns Development Group and Mercator Health Advisors.
The meetings lasted four hours and came one day after the board conducted a three hour interview with Butler Snow for the same job.
Supervisor S.E. “Spanky” Felter said Wednesday’s meeting was greatly benefical.
“It was one of the best meeting’s we’ve had,” he said.
The board first met with Burns Development Group.
The group’s President, J.C. Burns, outlined a three-phase plan for a comprehensive study of NRMC.
Burns said his group would first conduct a feasibility study of the hospital to determine if sale, lease or county retention were the best option for the county.
Next the group would conduct a study to determine the value of the hospital.
Finally they would locate potential buyers for the hospital.
However since part of Burns’ fee includes a percentage of the hospital’s final sale price, should the hospital be sold, Burns’ group would locate one or two firms to conduct the study.
If the hospital should be sold, leased or kept by the county would only be revealed by the study Burns said.
“We want the board to have flexibility,” Burns said of the board’s options. “And we want to make the hospital an enticing package.”
Burns’ fee includes a yet to be determined percentage of the hospital’s final sale price and an hourly fee of $160 for Burns and his two associates.
Burns estimated the cost of the entire project to be no more that $250,000 or $300,000.
However President of the supervisors, Henry Watts, pointed out that a consultant to guide the hospital through sale might not be a necessity.
“The study will reveal the need for a consultant,” he said.
Watts said if the initial feasibility study shows a need for the county to keep the hospital then no consultants would be necessary to valuate the hospital or locate buyers.
After Burns’ presentation the supervisors listened to a presentation from President of Mercator Health Advisors, Mitch Monsour.
Monsour’s plan for the hospital included only an assessment and valuation of the hospital.
Supervisors said some of what Monsour described in his assessment process was work already done by Regional’s current CEO Scott Phillips.
Monsour said he would try to meet with Phillips in the coming weeks to discuss those, and other, issues.
Monsour said his knowledge of Mississippi’s healthcare system made him an asset to the process of the hospital study.
Monsour, like Burns, said a study of the hospital would first be needed to determine what should be done with the facility.
A projection by one of Monsour’s associates places the cost of the assessment and valuation of the hospital between $30,000 and $50,000. His fee also calls for a $15,000 retainer.
By comparison Watts said Butler snow called for a $50,000 retainer and charged approximately $280 an hour.
Watts said the board currently has no schedule to select a group to conduct the hospital study.
The board did not vote to approve a $3 million interim loan as requested by hospital administration.
The money from the loan would be used to conduct the study and hire legal counsel for the hospital.
However Watts said the board would instead be requesting an itemized list of how the money would be spent before the approved the loan from NRMC’s administrators.
Comments
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 4:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like the Burns Development Group is "sitting on the fence, licking his beak, awaiting to swoop in on the kill".
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 6:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good going so far board.
Posted by lsumom (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 7:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like we do not need a consultant who will be getting a percentage of the sale price as part of his fee. That sounds pretty suspicious to me. We also do not need one who is going to tell us the value of the hospital. Unless of course the board has already made up its mind to sell regardless of what anything shows.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is where the recreation complex money is going to come from lsumom. At least, the money for the land. At least, that is what the Oracle tells me.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The State and the Town feel recreation and walking trails are more important than an efficiently run public hospital, look how the available money has been directed.
Think about why things would be done this way. Is there any reason to it, or is it madness?
Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 7:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Couldn't the accounting firm that handles the hospital's tax returns, who should have lists of all the equipment for depreciation purposes etc and a commercial real estate appraisor be able to come up with the total value?
So basically, Burn Development would serve as the appraisor and the real estate agent - but sub-out some of the "study" work so as not to look like a conflict of interest because in the end, it's obvious that a sale would be in their favor. Then Mercator wants to study what has happened, get paid for it, get their foot in the door and hopefully help turn it around with the services that they usually provide no matter who is operating the hospital when it is all said and done?
I found their website. Interesting.
http://mercatorhealth.com/people.htm
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you for that SayItRight. Working together this way is very good.
Posted by bland (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the hospital does not pay taxes so no accountant files our taxes. Our board of supervisors is doing a good job of examing the qualifications of the advisors. I leave the room when Mercator is making a presentation since my daughter is marrying their son this weekend. I do not want a conflict of interest and by the way, my daughter works in Washington D.C. and not in this state. thanks.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dan, don't you think it creates at least the appearance of conflict for your daughter to be marrying the son? To many it would create the impression Mercator was chosen in relation to this. Do you wish your reputaton tarnished when not necessary? Would it not be possible to find another consultant?
Personally, that is what I would do. And many other people would do that as well.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And Dan, what is your personal opinion of the powers given to St Catherine Creek Utility Authority? I am seeking opinions on this subject. I feel they are far too broad and sweeping and the act needs to be amended. The way it is the Authority, for example, can enter any private land at any time for purposes of examination and inspection.
In my opinion that power violates the right prohibiting unreasonable search; search should take place only upon issuance of warrant sworn by oath or affadavit. What do you think?
Posted by bland (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
enkikur- unfortunately, they were around long before my daughter. The owner has brought several businesses to the hospital way before i was on the board. i leave the room and will discuss Mercator at the meetings, but he has to make a living. If he starts being paid, i will leave the board.
I have no idea what St. Catherine Creek Utility is? The public service commission would have to license them i believe. I would not want anyone to come on my property that did not have the right to. Entergy came on my property and cut a beautiful tree down without asking my permission. they even cut my electric dog fence and would not repair it. By the way, didn't Entergy agree to take down the green poles and put the electricity underground many years ago. I think the green poles were meant to be temporary. Am i wrong?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, as long as it is legal Dan. I don't mean to bust your chops.
The Authority was created by legislative act. It has a five member board chosen by the country supervisors. They chose the five men who also serve as the Natchez-Adams Economic Development Authority.
The Authority is empowered to acquire land and establish infrastructure for water control over all of Adams County. It has no right to minerals other than sand and gravel on land that it acquires. It does not have direct power of eminent domain, but must exercise that power through another public agency. It has power to contract with any agency recognized by the US and Mississippi governments.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Entergy is an EDA partner. It can do pretty much anything it wants. You can sue them, but good luck.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dan, you are in real estate aren't you? Do you know anything about some kind of proposed development on the levee between Lake Concordia and Millstone Forks? I saw a chart in an archive in the LSU library that seemed to describe joint ownership of some land up there by several well known people in the area and some banks and insurance companies. Are you part of that group?
I could be wrong because I don't really understand documents dealing with real estate and for all I know I was just looking at a list of people and companies. I have been curious about it though, if you know anythng about it I would appreciate you sharing it with me.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When you have time Dan, if you would read my letter to the editor called 'Is our planet a global corporation'. That is not my title, the Democrat put that title on it, I called it 'Earth, Inc: Global Plantation or Global Village'. I guess they had to shorten it too make it fit the header space for the paper.
I'd like your opinion on it too, because no one has really offered an opinion on it and I thought at least one or two people would.
Posted by bland (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
enkikur- i know nothing. i spend so much time fooling with the hospital, i have let me real estate go down. i do not sell real estate, so i am not familar. i will ask around. i am not part of any group. who are the well known people? Could it be the property owned by Paul Meng or Rifle Point.
Posted by ntztransplant17 (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
EnKiKur - If you want to talk to Bland so badly please e-mail him directly instead of using the discussion board.
Posted by scarlettohara (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No offense, ntztransplant17, but who died and left you in charge. I personally enjoy reading "conversations" that sometimes occur between posters. You can learn a great deal about many things just by the questions some posters pose to another.
EnKiKur never fails to post thought provoking comments. I agree with him sometimes, and sometimes not.
If you prefer not to read the communication between some posters, simply skip over them.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No, it's not Rifle Point. There was a short article on the Ferriday Town website two years ago, I think that article came from the Sentinel, and I searched Millstone Forks and ended up in the LSU archives.
The names are fuzzy, but seem to resemble the names found on the old maps showing the landowners from way back.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EnKiKur, PLEASE CONTINUE to post freely on this sight...your views and opinions are very informative and important. Anyone who does not want to read what you have to say can just skip past it.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you NtzMom, just between you and me I intend to until the Democrat kicks me off. Then I will start another website. I actually hope that all the confrontations I get into on here help the Democrat sell advertising. This comment section is in the true spirit of Democracy and they are taking a risk by doing it. You have to respect that spirit.
Posted by nursegal (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 1:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sayitright...the wedsite took dan bland's daughters pic off. What does that say?
Posted by hopefloats (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ntznom it sure sounds that way...sounds fishy. Maybe there is more going on than we know. But i guess the ND has told us all we need to know about this. Right?
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