Having left town for a few days on July 10, I had a lot of catching up to do with news on the Natchez Regional Medical Center front upon my return on July 13. The headline in the July 11 edition of The Natchez Democrat read “County approves hospital sale,” with the sub-heading “Agreement in place pending signatures.” The article stated the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously, in executive session, to approve the terms of the purchase agreement with Community Health Systems.

The next day’s headline read “Sale takes yet another step forward,” with the sub-heading, “Hospital will have new owners if court gives OK.” That article stated the purchase agreement approved by the Board of Supervisors, had been executed by the purchaser. The entire sale procedure would be subject to approval from Federal bankruptcy Judge Neil Olack.

The July 13 edition contained another excellent column by publisher Kevin Cooper, asking the supervisors to demand information from the NRMC attorneys and trustees, including an accounting of the costs related to the bankruptcy and the sale. I could not agree more with that.

And then finally, the July 17 article stated that Judge Olack had made some adjustments to the sales procedure. This article lifted my spirits to some degree, indicating that Judge Olack is taking a close look at this procedure, and not just allowing whatever procedure the parties’ request. I thank Judge Olack for that.

It touched my heart to read the laments of Supervisor Mike Lazarus and echoed by Supervisor David Carter that it was a bittersweet ending to the proceedings. But espousing that they were just following the recommendations put forth by the so-called “experts.”

To that notion, I would say that you have all already gambled with the taxpayer’s money and lost. Not one of you has had the gumption to challenge what has been put before you, roll up your sleeves and put forth an alternative plan to try and save NRMC. You have all gone along with the plan, and allowed this feeding frenzy by the lawyers and consultants.

What I want now are answers to some specific questions. On top of what Cooper has already asked for, some specifics on the sale price are needed. The article some time back concerning the MDA’s approval of the sale as an economic development project stated a total of more than $11 million in tax payments in more than 17 years, beginning in 2015, could be paid toward NRMC’s exiting bond debt. That article stated that set up was to coincide with the bond re-payment schedule.

Yet the more recent articles have stuck with the original $10 million up-front payment, with $8 million in tax payments dedicated to the bond debt. The taxpayers of Adams County are entitled to know how much of our tax payments will go toward bond debt, and for how long? But that will probably be deemed some super-secret item that must be withheld from us on grounds that it might jeopardize the closing of the sale.

I hope the rest of the taxpayers of Adams County are as disgusted with this as I am.

 

Chuck Fields

Adams County Resident