someone reading your posts could very easily assume that what you have stated is current. when in fact, you have either been mislead, you simply you have stated incorrect information.

the hospital projects that it could generate, once again generate approximately $1 million of new revenue. this is not “net” profit. what the hospital charges for services and what it collects from your and my insurance company is decidely less.

when the quorom court addressed the resolution in it’s prior meeting, certain members of the quorom court denied the hospital a chance to answer questions, or explain the need for the resolution.

the board member that you quote as saying that the hospital can make the changes without taxpayers dollars, has been provided with information with different ways of trying to finance the construction. did he share that information with you?

do you need more information? were you able to come to the public health summit? our local paper has had several articles concerning the proposed changes at our hospital. as with our quorom court meetings, the hospital board meetings are open to the public. have you attended either one?

have you taken the time to come out to the hospital, sit down with their administrator, so that he may answer any concerns that you have? or are you just willing to ask your questions on this blog?

We were told by some we would make $100,000 on the Babe Ruth tournament because Jonesboro supposedly had done so. Though I can’t verify the exact amount we made, someone last week told me it amounted to less than $15,000, a long way from the $100,000 promised by Babe Ruth board members.

Now we are told that by taxpayers funding a hospital remodeling we will miraculously become the regional facility serving southeast Arkansas. We are also told this remodeling will result in a net profit of $1 million a year to the county hospital.

Not all the hospital board members were in favor or a sales tax ballot issue to support the remodeling of the hospital before the call for a special election went to the quorum court. One member of the board believes the hospital has the ability to make the changes without taxpayer dollars. Has anyone explained why bond monies could not be used to finance the remodeling at no cost to taxpayers? Was there a discussion at the hospital board or the quorum court level about other ways to finance this expansion.

Cat accuses me of profanity. Where she/he/it got that idea is beyond me. It certainly was not contained in my postings on this site. But then that
seems to be the way we approach issues in this community. We make up our minds without hearing facts and begin to fight over side issues having nothing to do with the question presented to us originally.

I don’t believe the quorum court was ever given a rationale as to why this issue deserved the immediate consideration of a special election and why there was never an in depth public discussion surrounding the hospital.

Timing is everything in politics. I don’t think it makes any sense to approach the county quorum court and ask for a special election knowing they have a sales road tax on the ballot in the general election. It makes even less sense when the city council also has a sales tax proposal on the same ballot. Essentially the action of the hospital was saying to city and county officials, our hospital is more important than the roads in the county and roads and recreation in the city. It was an error in political judgment at best and said to voters, “You don’t deserve to have information, you simply need to vote to accept this because we believe it is in your best interests.”

At the risk of being accused again of using profanity on this site, I ask why it is necessary to make comparisons that have no meaning to this discussion if there is reason for taxpayers to remodel this hospital?

If all financial avenues have been considered, if surveys have established the need, if specialists who would come to this area have been contacted and expressed interest and commitment, the rationale exists. The question remains, are taxpayers going to be told facts or is the special election designed to speed the vote without informing voters.

It would be a shame to rush this to a vote in a special election when there are many questions that remain that go unanswered.

“Vested interests” may also refer collectively to individuals or groups which seek to maintain a favourable state of affairs.

I think that Martha just forgot to add an “S” onto the word “interest.”

It appears to me that there were vested interest”s” when the road tax passed as well as for economic development. The hospitals request is not for an individules gain, but for the communitys gain. It is for better quality healthcare.

That seems a bit absurd.

Finally Martha, the DMH board did not want to rush this to a vote. The supporters of the two other taxes that you keep referencing are the ones that asked the board to push this forward now. They emphatically stated that they did NOT want all issues on the ballot at the same time because they were fearful that if citizens chose between issues, a majority just might chose quality healthcare.

I might.

I was not aware of Batesville. I am aware of JRMC though. 25 years ago they were just a 200 or 250 bed rural hospital. They too realized that there was much more potential for their facility. Much more that could be offered to the citizens of Jefferson County. Today they are a 460 bed facility not to mention assisted living beds, clinics, Medical office buildings, etc… I believe their staff is over 1400 employees. If anything the population has either remained the same or decreased.

Monticello, is considered the hub of Southeast AR, not Pine Bluff.

It’s nice to read someones blog who is open minded and who sounds understanding.(Annie)

I think that the hospitals intent is of it’s vision and not a dream. To become a world class heart or cancer center would be just that. A dream.

The vision to provide quality healthcare by adding needed services to our county hospital is not a dream.

Don’t take this the wrong way in my next statement, for it is simply a perspective view. Looking at my Drew county tax reciept for this past year over $600.00 went to public schools and $7.00 went to hospital maintenance/operations and another $31.00 went to the hospital tax bond.

I graduated high school many, many years ago. I am all for a childs education because, they are our future. They will be the ones taking care of us when we get old. I would suppose that our hospital would be 50 or 60 years old by then. I will probably be put in the room that needed painting, but, they couldn’t buy a gallon of paint for $7.00. I will understand why it needed painting and why it wasn’t.

The thought that “I’m not going to let this happen on my shift. We’ll just pass it onto the next shift.” is not looking out for the next generation. It is as if there are those that just want to pass the buck and keep their hands clean. My favorite word RESPONSIBILITY.

I am amazed that when someone has an opinion, be it negative or positive, it is suspect that they have an ulterior motive. My only motive for these postings is to share my opinion and read the opinions of others- even if they differ from mine. I find it hard to believe that all of the postings that seem to be in favor of the expansion are “undercover” hospital workers. Maybe, just maybe, we are average citizens who are not employed by the hospital, but still believe the citizens should have the opportunity to vote on this proposal.

No, I don’t believe that the majority of people in Jefferson County make $150,000 a year. But there are many more taxpayers in Jefferson than in Drew
County which might be the reason they have a regional facility and Drew County does not.

I just don’t believe for one minute the posts on this site are from those who do not have a vested interest in a hospital renovation.

But then in the end the voters always decide these issues. That is why Monticello is the only city of its class in the state without planning. But historically when the economy isn’t booming, voters opt to vote against tax issues.

But then I would hope if the hospital is so hell bent on an election, quorum court members will retain the right to hold the election after there is a vote on the city and county taxes.