(RIGHT) - Charles Stewart from Hutcheson Medical Center addressed the forum at March’s regular meeting of the Dade Commission. By DON PITTMAN First published in the March 12 edition.
(RIGHT) - Charles Stewart from Hutcheson Medical Center addressed the forum at March’s regular meeting of the Dade Commission.
From the onset at last Thursday night’s Dade County Commission meeting, the board volleyed issues back and forth, between themselves and others present at the meeting. The work session began with discussions concerning moving the batting cages that are inside the tennis court at the Dade County Recreational Complex.
The commissioners learned from David Swader that it would cost around $12,000 to move the cages, and $40,000 to resurface the tennis courts. According to Swader, that doesn’t include lighting the cages as they are now.
“It just doesn’t seem feasible to do that,” Swader said.
“We don’t have that much in the 2008 budget,” County Executive Ben Brandon said.
He concluded that it would have to be squeezed into the next year’s budget or put it on the next Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
The Commission also discussed the need to finalize the last of the 2004 SPLOST projects before the upcoming one comes to vote.
“As we talk about another SPLOST, we need to wrap up the existing projects,” Brandon said.
Brandon explained that some of the 2004 SPLOST money was moved around, and that the county was close to completion on most of the projects.
The money allotted for Courthouse renovations and the money set aside for the Justice Building, which is being slotted for use on a new courthouse, is still remaining among a few other projects.
During the work session, the commission also agreed to swap use of the Dade County School system’s baseball field near Dade Elementary School by the county’s recreational ball teams, for use of the Dade County Recreation Complex’s soccer fields by the school soccer teams.
During the regular meeting, Hutcheson Medical Center President Charles Stewart gave a presentation concerning a turn around occurring at the regional hospital. He explained that in 2005 the facility recorded a $6 million loss, but they had seen a change in the last two years.
Stewart said operational excellence, growth and customer service were the three main things what helped turn around Hutcheson.
“This is all for the purpose of improving the quality of the hospital,” Stewart said.
Stewart said that he recognized that there were multiple hospitals in the area, but that he wanted Hutcheson to be the hospital of choice for people in north Georgia. He brought samples and artist renditions of the change in décor and upgraded patient rooms that the hospital plans. He also talked about upgrades in technology and new doctors that the hospital has put in place. He also mentioned the awards the hospitals have received as of late.
“We know that people have a choice on where they go for services,” he said. The commissioners voted to bond funds for Hutcheson Medical Center, joining with Catoosa and Walker counties in the plan.
During the legal matters section of the regular meeting Brandon mentioned a new lawsuit that the county faces. He explained that Christina Holmes re-filed her suit concerning repeal of tax exemptions against the county and the Board of Directors. “Christina Holmes has reinstituted the claims that she voluntarily dismissed months ago,” County Attorney Robin Rogers explained.
“We feel pretty good that this (exemption) is going to stand up,” Brandon said. “I’m told we have a pretty good case on this one.”
Comments (0)
The Dade Sentinel
http://dadesentinel.com/article.php/20080312102626468