NATCHEZ — The restructuring effort at Natchez Regional Hospital has seeped from the front doors and into the parking lot.

At the July 7 meeting of the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the board is expected to pass a resolution that would allow the hospital to use the county’s asphalt contractor to overlay the hospital’s parking lot.

Supervisor Darryl Grennell said when the supervisors recently accepted bids for the county’s asphalt work they locked in a price for work and materials.

The county is expected to allow the hospital to essentially use their contract to repair the parking lot.

The county will fund the project and then be reimbursed by the hospital.

Hospital CEO Scott Phillips said repairs to the lot are badly needed.

“It needs a lot work,” he said. “It’s a project that will ultimately benefit the hospital.”

Hospital attorney Walter Brown said the overlay project will increase the curb appeal of the hospital, adding value, and make a safer environment for pedestrians.

Grennell, like Phillips, said the parking lot has several potholes and has needed repair for quite some time.

And not only will the hospital get a much needed project completed, it should be done a bit quicker than usual.

Brown said since the hospital plans to use the already established contract there is no need for the hospital to open the bidding process to find a new contract.

“That can be a time consuming process,” he said.

While no one had an estimated price on the project yet, Grennell said there should be some savings for the hospital since the county has already secured the lowest cost during their bidding process.

Grennell said millage regulations prevent the county from funding the entire project with no compensation.

“That would not be fair or legal to the taxpayers,” he said.

In addition to saving time and possibly money, for the project Grennell said the cooperation between the hospital and county was an excellent example of how local government should operate.

“Whenever we can pool our resources and work together for the county it’s to everyone’s advantage,” he said.