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Supervisors agree on resolution
Published Thursday, May 29, 2008
NATCHEZ — Just one day after interviewing potential hospital consultant groups, the Adams County Board of Supervisors met with Natchez Regional Medical Center’s CEO Scott Phillips to talk business.
During the meeting the board passed a three-pronged resolution aimed at expediting the hospital’s recovery process.
The resolution will approve a $3 million interim loan for the hospital, form a committee — comprised of board members — to interview potential consultants and hire Butler Snow law firm as legal counsel for the hospital.
Supervisors said the meeting with Phillips was extremely informative and would ultimately benefit the county.
In the meeting supervisors learned that Phillips, not the supervisors, will be charged with interviewing potential candidates to conduct studies of the hospital.
“That’s my job,” Phillips said.
The news brought relief to the supervisors.
Board President Henry Watts said he was pleased with the news.
“I’m delighted to be out of the nuts and bolts of it,” he said.
Since the hospital began its restructuring period several weeks ago the board has known of its legal obligation to hire a group to conduct a feasibility study to determine if it should be sold, leased or retained by the county.
While Phillips previously said he would find groups to study, evaluate and buy the hospital if necessary, the board began to seek its own candidates on Wednesday.
On Thursday board members and Phillips came to an understanding that Phillips would locate the necessary groups and the board would ultimately be charged with hiring them.
The resolution the board passed on Thursday was the same one they refused on Tuesday when it was presented by hospital board attorney Walter Brown.
Supervisor S.E. “Spanky” Felter said some board members felt Brown’s proposal was presented too forcefully and didn’t give the board any options.
For that reason the board began to interview other groups to possibly conduct a study on Wednesday.
Phillips apologized to the board, and said Brown was only doing as Phillips asked him.
“He was doing my bidding,” he said.
Phillips also apologized for not appearing before the board sooner to answer their questions. Brown said Thursday’s unanimous approval of the resolution was an important step.
“It shows banks and bidders the board is serious,” he said.
The banks Brown referred to could lend the hospital the interim loan it needs.
Once complete, a feasibility study will reveal if the county should keep the hospital, sell or lease. Phillips said it was unlikely any credible consulting group would advise the county to keep the hospital.
Comments
Posted by truthseeker (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 1:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a community hospital,the first question should be what is Best for the Patients you the board are suppose towprk for. I come from a small town that faced the same problems.It was sold 3 times before ,we finally,got a good hospital. That gives good patient care,has a new physcal plant, and is in good finachal SP sstate. Good luck with your hospital.Keep it open at all cost.The people need you
Posted by nursegal (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 2:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So..brown and bland presented a firm Burns Group to the board who they wanted to come in and decide if there needs to be a study. A study will put a value / assessment on the hospital. Burns Group has already chosen Merator for the study and their fees include a percentage of the hospital sale. But Philips said he is going to chose Butler Snow to determine if the hospital needs to conduct a study and he has the Board of Supervisors on his side. He said he will be responsible for finding the consulting group. IT's all complicated. But i think the ND did a good job.
Posted by hopefloats (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 2:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When the consulting group comes into play they will put a value on the hospital. IF they are not a top notch company they could appraise the hospital so low anyone could afford to buy it.
Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 5:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This sounds like a good start.
Posted by lsumom (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 6:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So the board of supervisors is allowing phillips to pick the company to do the study. Well, we already know he is in favor of selling the hospital so who do you suppose he will pick?Someone who will come in and do his bidding. What happened to him coming in here to get the hospital through bankruptcy? Has all that been changed because now everyone is in such a hurry to get it sold. if the real cuts were made that phillips knows need to be made, the monthly savings would be tremendous. That would allow the hospital to get back on a solid footing and maybe work things out without being sold. But, apparently the plan is already in the works to sell so they can get out of PERS retirement.
Posted by Preacher (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 7:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Finally! Nothing like a little one on one conversation to work things out. Now if they will just keep on talking.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
People should smell something in the woodpile?
Posted by ntztransplant17 (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like the old "right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing". Everyone needs to abandon their own personal agendas and get together. Seems the key here is communication. Since Phillips was brought in to "right the hospital", he should have been included in ALL meetings. Maybe if he had been there, the Board of Supervisors wouldn't have to be backpedaling because they have already interviewed consultants and, evidently, that was supposed to be left up to Phillips. I was also under the impression that "legal counsel" to help maneuver through the bankruptcy process had already been retained ~ but the article today says the Board is going to hire Butler Snow as legal counsel. Just who is in charge here OR are there way too many chiefs and not enough indians? Definitely time for a "pow wow"!
Posted by nursegal (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is so complicated. I think the hurriedness of dan bland and walter brown is to get things rolling to sell the hospital before the board divides. I think the drs and HMA want to buy . I think Philips and the Butler Snow group is to get all bids from other places. I think the Board of Supv. well...not sure there. Not really sure just reading all of the ND articles from years ago the chiefs of the other local tribes have had a powwow. The plan is to attack before the chiefs at NR divide and the vote fails. ONe article said the boards need to be cohesive. Chief Phillips...not sure there either...he was hired by the Big Chiefs...Board of Supervisors. Chief Phillips keeps saying he is selling...have heard good hospitals in jackson are interested. Not so good for local drs and HMA. (one hospital town). I think all are trying to make one big tribe (as this has been the issue for pbl. more than 10 years) but deciding on what tribe we fall under is the problem. Employees need UMC to come in and save them and give big raises and buy HMA and make one hospital town. But then again i could be reading between the lines. Good luck
ntztransplant
Posted by theoracle (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 5:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The only reason why a non profit from Jackson or Baton Rouge would by NRMC is to feed their big hospitals in the city. This is why they buy hospitals in the smaller towns. This would not be good for Natchez, and this would pull healthcare and the healthcare dollars out of this town. This will cause the specialist in this town in this town to leave the market as well. The last time I looked, community hospital was doing well, expanding services, and bringing in new physicians, so I don't see them leaving town or selling out.
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