County Facing DMH Dilemma
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TC OUTLAWS WIN FALLEN TCI OFFICER MOULTRIE TOURNAMENT HONORED Page A-5 Page A-7 75¢ Friday/ Saturday May 14-15, 2021 www.perrynewspapers.com Separate hospital authority required by Florida statutes? County facing DMH dilemma Has the local hospital involves the structure of appointed DMH board been overseen incorrectly the DMH Board, which, members. Specifically, for nearly 30 years? in turn, is connected to Curtis discovered that the While many in Taylor how the hospital itself is way the county and DMH County were preparing to classified under state law,Board have been running celebrate Cinco De Mayo a situation complicated by the hospital for the last 29 last week, the Taylor events that occurred in the years may not line up with County Commission, 1980s and 1990s, as well Florida statutes. along with representatives as a special legislative act During a special county of the Doctors’ Memorial dating back to the 1950s workshop on Wednesday, Hospital (DMH) Board of and a state statute passed in May 5, much of the two Directors, were discussing the 1940s. hours of discussion took an issue that could affect The problem was place between Curtis, the local medical facility’s discovered by local County Attorney Conrad although the lawyers were will likely include restoring expected to continue the future -- or at least how the attorney Ray Curtis while Bishop and DMH Board not in complete agreement a hospital authority board discussion, and likely take hospital is managed moving researching the history of the Attorney Cline Moore. over which was best, the that has been dormant since action, as soon as next commission did agree that 1982. forward. hospital as part of a dispute By the end, several ➟ Please see page 2 The issue at hand over one of the county- options were presented, and action is needed, which The commission is Rollover at the county line Photographs of long lines at local gas stations flooded social media Monday. Hacked pipeline re-opens, easing gas panic buying As of Thursday, there all pipeline operation were no long lines of on May 7 shortly after vehicles waiting to pump learning it was the victim gas at local convenience of a cybersecurity attack stores, as fuel once again involving ransomware. began flowing through the Locally, several stations Colonial Pipeline around 5 temporarily ran out of gas p.m. Wednesday. when panicked motorists Colonial reported it had rushed to buy fuel after The driver of this SUV escaped serious injury following a single-vehicle roll-over crash on made substantial progress learning of the pipeline shut in safely restarting its down. County Line Road north of Shady Grove off Hwy. 221 on Wednesday. The lime rock road became slippery and muddy following a heavy downpour earlier that day. pipeline system after ➟ voluntarily shutting down Please see page 3 City council split over spending reserves In a split vote that voted to move forward with said following the city Jerkins Park) located on have steadily declined with a pair of suspected highlighted a council purchasing an estimated council’s 3-2 vote to pull an Warner Avenue. from $16-17 million down sinkholes and other road divided over concerns $60,000 in replacement estimated $60,000 from the Hall and Councilman to under $6.5 million over repair issues. about continuing to dip into playground equipment at a city’s savings to fund two Mike Deming voted against the past 15 years and the Council members dwindling cash reserves local park. new pieces of playground the measure, pointing out city is now facing hundreds Shirlie Hampton, Venita for non-budgeted items, “All I can say is, ‘Lord equipment at Gerald B. that the City of Perry’s of thousands of dollars in the City of Perry recently help us,” Mayor Alan Hall Walker Park (formerly unrestricted cash reserves unexpected costs associated ➟ Please see page 8 Edwards shared faith in song Frankie Edwards didn’t the adult choir faithfully for and other notable artists. thick 78 records on it, need a pulpit to share the many years. Author Anthony White then wound it up. As the Gospel. In 1959, he came to interviewed Edwards springs unwound, it turned He shared his faith by Perry to audition for a band in 2010, and shared the the turnable and played the lifting his voice to the looking for a lead singer. following story: record.” heavens in song, and all What was supposed to be a The Blind Boys of Edwards said he was able within hearing distance two-week trip, turned into a Alabama used to compete to sing most of the recorded were blessed. lifetime. against the Blind Boys of songs note for note because A pillar in the local gospel He loved singing and Mississippi for play time in he learned to sing without community, Edwards began exhibited his gift at many the Edwards’ house. the aid of an instrument. singing at the age of six and worship services, funerals, Imagine this, Frankie “I came up when acapella only stopped when he was weddings and other Edwards urged, as he singing was popular,” he called home Wednesday, civic events in Perry and recalled his family explained. “And we used May 5. He was 85. surrounding counties. gathering around the wind- our voices as instruments to Born in the Mississippi He was fortunate to sing up record player to listen to make two-part, three-part Delta, Edwards was the professionally with Faye and sing along with their and four-part harmonies.” third of nine children. He Adams, best known for favorite musical groups and Then age 74, Edwards’ A pillar in the local gospel community, Frankie attended schools in Bonifay “Shake A Hand, Shake A artists. voice – a soaring tenor – Edwards began singing at the age of six and and Chipley before his Hand.” “Momma had a record still sounded like a refined only stopped when he was called home last family moved to Greenville. He was also privileged player called a gramophone instrument. Wednesday at the age of 85. (For complete obituary, There, he joined Shiloh to sing with James Brown, that ran by springs,” he ➟ Please see page 8 please see page A-4.) M.B. Church and sang in Little Richie, Ray Charles said. “We put these really Index One section 132nd Year, No. 21 Weather Religion .................. A-4 Looking Back ......... A-9 Friday 79˚ Saturday 82˚ Sunday 84˚ Sports ................... A-5 Entertainment ..... A-10 53˚ 56˚ 59˚ Community ........... A-7 Classifieds .......... A-11 A-2 Perry News-Herald May 14-15, 2021 Which has been vacant since 1982 County to re-populate old hospital authority? DMH the lease agreement, the there are two immediate Continued from page 1 commission appoints fiveoptions available to rectify members to serve on thethe situation regarding the week’s regular meeting on non-profit corporation’shospital authority. Tuesday, May 18. board of directors (DMH The first is for the During the workshop, Board). commission to appoint Curtis outlined the legal In 2001, Taylor five members to the history of the hospital, County voters approvedhospital authority, keeping dating back to 1954 when a referendum to allocate it separate from the five a non-profit organization revenues from a localmembers it appoints to the called Taylor County one-cent sales tax to fund DMH Board. According to Hospital Corporation was construction and equipping the attorneys, this would formed to build a hospital of DMH’s current building allow the DMH Board to for the county. on U.S. 19. Because the continue operating as it One year later, the sales tax revenues inhas to this point, including Florida Legislature passed question came from both utilizing the Sunshine Law a special act that allowed the county and City of Perry, exemptions, but could the county to purchase the the city council was given lead to confusion with hospital property from the the opportunity to appoint two boards overseeing the corporation. The act also two additional members to hospital. created a five-memberthe DMH Board. The second option would hospital authority, whose In 2014, DMH partnered be to have the five county- members were appointed with Tallahassee Memorial appointed members of the by the governor. Healthcare (TMH) to help DMH Board also serve as According to Curtis, manage the hospital, an the five-member hospital public hospitals in Florida agreement that included authority. According to the are regulated under Chapter two TMH administrators attorneys, under this option, 155 of Florida statutes, first joining the DMH Board there would be only one passed in 1941. However, in addition to the local board, but it would also the legislature often passed appointments. open the DMH Board to special acts to provide Last summer, the county more Sunshine laws. smaller communities an commission appointed During the discussion, alternative path to establishlocal nurse practitioner DMH Board Member Bill a hospital, forgoing some of Ashley McCormick to the Brynes said the second the requirements in Chapter DMH Board, prompting option could lead to TMH 155. the DMH Board to raise ending its agreement While the local hospital concerns over a potential with DMH, although no was established by the conflict of interest due torepresentative from TMH special act, Curtis said a her employment with TMH was present at the workshop 1966 opinion by the Florida Physician Partners, Perry. to discuss the matter. Attorney General stated the That disagreement, which Bishop noted that a third hospital was still governed has yet to be resolved,option, which he called by Chapter 155 as a public resulted in McCormick a “last resort,” would be hospital.