County To Consider Budget
For the second year in a row, it looks like the Jasper County Commission will set the county millage rate before it has made any determination about what items to fund at what level in the budget.
County Manager Greg Williams presented the commissioners with three preliminary millage rate proposals during the monthly work session Monday.
One preliminary proposal would reflect the same millage rate as last year, which would in fact be a tax increase because the value of property is higher than last year. Another proposal would leave the net tax at the same amount as last year, which would be a reduction in millage rate.
The third proposal reflects an increase to cover cost of living and other possible increases. Commissioner Carl Pennamon asked when they were going to look at the budget. He asked what was the hold-up.
Mr. Williams said that until the audit was complete…basically in May, they county was not in a position to look at next year’s budget. He said that he had received departmental requests for maintenance and operation, but was awaiting requests on personnel and capital improvements.
Mr. Pennamon commented that for the previous 21 years, the county set the budget, and adopted a millage rate that would generate the taxes to fund it, not the other way around.
Mr. Williams said that “finalizing a budget this early for a calendar year is not the practice in the state.”
Commission Chairman Jack Bernard said he did not want to be feuding in the dark, but he is against tax increases. He admitted just setting millage rate and not knowing expenditures is crazy. He said that, of course, is why the county sets a contingency fund, also.
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Commissioners Pennamon and Greg Johnson both were anxious to see budget numbers and begin reviewing them, and were concerned about the way the process was progressing.
The commissioners began discussing the county road plan, and saying how important a priority roads must be in this county. Mr. Bernard said if we have money in reserve, “let’s use it on roads.”
“We’ve built a reserve,” he said. He went on to comment that it would be nice if others would take on some of the financial burden, referring to other agencies helping fund some services.
Last month he commented that the city of Monticello could help finance the library even if it does not have a legal obligation to do so.
He then talked about cutting expenses, and freeing up funds to use on roads.
He said, “Pacer made an offer to buy our hospital, and frankly, they’ve indicated it looks to them as though there’d be no county supplement required…and if that’s the case, we could use those dollars to improve the roads, and continue operation of the hospital with no reduction in the quality or performance of the hospital.”
The comment was not discussed at all at the meeting, with the commissioners apparently already aware of the “offer.” And, the topic was not addressed at Jasper Health Services meeting, at least openly, also on Monday. So phone calls were made to others in an attempt to learn more about the purported offer.
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David Owens of Jasper Memorial Hospital was surprised when questioned about the “offer” from Pacer.
“No offer from Pacer health has been made directly to Jasper County Hospital Authority who owns the facility or to Jasper Health Services who holds the lease on the operations. When an offer is made to one of these entities, they will respond appropriately. We are evaluating some of the communications that have gone to Chairman Bernard with our attorney.”
An open records request to the county netted three letters from Pacer Health to Jack Bernard, Jasper County Commission Chairman.
The first, dated May 8 was an “offer to purchase Jasper Memorial Hospital,” and outlined many terms and conditions of the proposal. The letter closed by saying, “We hope that you will agree that this proposal represents a viable alternative for the continued operation of Jasper Memorial Hospital. If this proposal is acceptable, please execute this letter where indicated below and return it to our offices as indicated herein, no later than June 30, 2006. If we do not receive an executed letter by that date, then this proposal shall be deemed without any force or effect.”
Mr. Williams said the letter was not received until sometime in June. Mr. Bernard said he passed the letter on to the hospital authority.
Steve Jordan with the hospital authority said that there was no way it could consider anything in that short a time…it would take at least until August.
Mr. Bernard said that he called Pacer with that response, and he thought the hospital was prepared to respond in August. As the hospital’s statement says, Mr. Jordan indicated that no offer from Pacer has been received by Jasper Memorial Hospital Authority or Jasper Health Services.
When questioned, Mr. Bernard said that when Pacer first contacted him last year, he had suggested they communicate directly with the hospital, and he did not know why they had not.
A second letter, dated May 25, but purportedly also received sometime in June compared Jasper Memorial to Minnie G. Boswell Hospital in Greensboro, which Pacer began operating in June, 2004.
The third letter, which is only two paragraphs, is dated July 25, 2006. It, also addressed to Mr. Bernard, says that “We have had several conversations regarding the ongoing operations of Jasper County Hospital. As we discussed, Pacer Health Corporation would be willing to meet with the authority to discuss options for the hospital as well as schedule due diligence to assist us in determining the financial status of the facility at present.
Mr. Bernard said Wednesday that he didn’t care who operated the hospital. “If Oconee wants to operate it without the supplement, that’s fine with me.”
Mr. Jordan expressed his concern, too, for the best deal for Jasper County citizens, and said the authority is always open to options that would lessen the hospital’s dependence on tax dollars.
