Hospital Board Has Heated Debate Over Extending Lease
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Published in Kimble County since 1882 4 The Junction Eagle The Land of Living Water Volume 131 USPS 286-540 ©The Junction Eagle, Wednesday, February 1, 2012 50¢ per copy Number 4 Hospital Board has heated debate over extending lease James Murr that a delay in extending the expressed a sense of urgency The Junction Eagle contract will harm the hos- about getting this work done. pital’s operation. Primeaux The estimated cost of con- The Board of the Kimble countered that, required or not, verting to electronic records is County Hospital District held it was simply good business in excess of $750,000. Preferred its regular monthly meeting on practice to seek competitive proposes that its lease with the January 30 and spent a good bids. The question of whether district be extended before it part of its lengthy meeting or not this is legally required makes this significant invest- discussing whether to extend was left unsettled. It appears ment. Accordingly, Preferred the district’s current lease with the board will be seeking a submitted an amendment to Preferred Management for definitive legal opinion. the lease for the board’s con- operation of the clinic and hos- Robinson made a motion for sideration. The amendment pital. In a split vote, the board the board to issue a Request for would extend the current lease Working on defense, the Junction Eagle Varsity basketball boys, Justus Young (20) left, voted not to seek bids from Proposals (an RFP) for opera- for five years until May 31, Aaron Taylor (44) and Henry Whitworth (34) guard their end of the court during Friday other companies before con- tion of the hospital and clinic 2018, subsequently subject to night’s game against the Comfort Bobcats. The Eagles came out on top with a 53-27 win. sidering the lease extension. and to also consider the option renewal for successive one- Members from the pub- of having the district oper- year terms, unless either party lic and hospital staff, total- ate these facilities on its own. provides at least six months ing around fifteen, attended This vote to require competi- notice of intent not to renew. the meeting. During the public tive bidding failed by a vote of As the amendment is cur- forum, two favorable com- four (Henderson, J.D. Kidwell, rently drafted, Preferred could ments were made about the Loeffler and Debra Mudge) to also terminate the lease at any current operation of the hospi- three (Martinez, Primeaux and time without cause, subject to tal. On a different topic, Dicky Robinson). providing at least 180 days Adams stated that extension of As reported previously, notice. The district would not the lease with Preferred should Preferred’s five-year lease have the right to terminate the not be voted on until after the expires at the end of May lease without cause. election for two board posi- 2013. Preferred pays the dis- Chief Executive Officer tions in May. The following trict $1 a year for the lease and Andy Freeman stated addresses the highlights of the receives an annual payment Preferred’s willingness to con- frequently contentious discus- of $705,612 from the district sider any concrete changes to sion about the lease. for operation of the clinic and the contract’s extension that After board member Noe hospital, as well as for indigent the board puts forward. He Martinez received answers to and uncompensated care. This expressed his desire to have a questions he had asked at an payment is subject to an annu- collegial working relationship earlier meeting, he stated that al cost-of-living adjustment with the board, but also said the answers and an audit reveal A requirement has been that if the board prefers anoth- the hospital and clinic are gen- imposed by Medicare for er contractor to operate the Senior Lady Eagle Mary Whitworth (13) prepares for a pass from teammate Gabby erating significant cash flow hospitals to convert all paper hospital, then Preferred should Lawhon (5) as one of Comfort’s Lady Deer tries to steal the ball. The game was played in for Preferred, which is in addi- medical records to electronic be so informed. He also stated the Eagle gym last Friday night with our ladies winning 43-31 and places them with a 5-1 tion to the annual payment it records by October 2014. As a the next two years will be a district record for the season. receives from the district. This practical matter, however, this difficult time financially for payment comes from property work will need to be complet- the health care industry con- taxes. Martinez reemphasized ed by October 2013 because sidering the fiscal challenges that Preferred needs to report contractor support for current and all the program changes Mason resident found guilty more information to the district recordkeeping will no longer being made at the federal and by Donnie Coleman in order for the board to carry be available after this date. state levels. Assistant District Attorney out its statutory responsibility If the conversion to elec- The board agreed to hold a to manage and control the dis- tronic records is not made, the special session on February 13 Troy Shane Knowles, a 37 year old former Mason resident, was convicted Thursday of the trict. level of Medicare reimburse- to complete its review of the felony offense of continuous sexual abuse of a child occurring in Mason County throughout 2010 Board member Molly ments will be reduced. For current contract and to develop when the victim was 11 and 12 years old. The case was tried in Kimble County on the defendant’s Robinson reinforced this view. these reasons, as well as the specific changes that it would request for a change of venue. The Honorable Rex Emerson, judge of the 198th Judicial District For example, a better break- lead time required to complete which includes both Mason and Junction, presided. out of administrative costs and a records conversion, Preferred See Hospital on Page 6 Like so many victims, the child (who was the defendant’s stepdaughter) had not told anyone amounts actually reimbursed what was happening to her for about a year until she told a friend, who, recognizing the impor- by Medicare are needed. Board tance of the disclosure and wanting to protect her, told an adult. The case was investigated by the member Daniel Henderson Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Child Protective Services, and the Hill Country Child Advocacy questioned Preferred on its Center in Burnet. returning some operational To find a person guilty of CSA, the defendant must be 17 years old or older and the victim profits to the district as a way under 14 years old. A jury must find that the abuse happened two or more times over a period of of helping to hold down or 30 days or more. The six man, six woman jury deliberated over five hours before returning its reduce property taxes. verdict. “Our first vote was not unanimous,” one juror explained, “so we reviewed all of the trial Board member Claudette testimony and exhibits and discussed them in detail. That is why it took so long.” Primeaux stated her strong The defense team was comprised of Richard McCool and Mike Parker of Baird, Laird Palmer belief that bids for opera- of Mason and Olney Wallis of Houston. tion of the hospital and clinic Representing the State were Assistant District Attorney Donnie Coleman, Mason County should be obtained from other Attorney Shain Chapman, and DA Investigator Todd Burdick. companies. There was disa- The defendant, having elected to have the judge rather than the jury set punishment, will appear greement among some of the in Mason on February 22 for a sentencing hearing. The minimum punishment for CSA is 25 years board members on whether or without parole. An appeal is anticipated. not competitive bidding was a legal requirement, with board president Charles Loeffler citing a legal opinion that Tourism Board continues such bidding is not required. Loeffler expressed the view Tamra Kott, an FFA member from Junction, exhibited the Supreme Champion Ram in the Junior Supreme Jr. marketing work Breeding Champions Show at the 2012 Fort Worth Stock James Murr the year instead of just season- of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Teams needed Show and Rodeo on January 23, 2012. The 2012 show The Junction Eagle ally and would be channeled Department’s Paddling Trails hosted nearly 10,000 junior exhibitors from across Texas, to the downtown area so they Program. The segment runs for St. Jude’s competing for prizes and $94,065 in premiums. Kott and On January 27 the Junction become aware of Junction as from the South Llano River her brother, Caleb, a 4-H member, also exhibited the Texas Tourism Board met for something more than just a State Park to the city lake, Champion Rambouillet Ram and Ewe and the Champion its regular monthly meeting. stop on the Interstate. with put-in/take-out locations Basketball and Reserve Delaine ram and ewe. The primary purpose of the Board members will be for paddlers at these two loca- meeting was to review and meeting with BH staff during tions and Flatrock Crossing. Tournament discuss possible action on the the coming weeks to work out The paddling trail will have It’s time to get teams ready Grand jury indicts seven tourism marketing proposal details for a new marketing an informational kiosk at each for St. Jude’s Basketball The 198th Judicial District Grand Jury of Kimble County made by Briscoe Hall (BH), slogan and logo, a portal web- of the preceding locations.