By By Steve Swogetinsky/The Meridian Star
April 17, 2001
QUITMAN The Clarke County Board of Supervisors voted Monday to guarantee more than $900,000 in renovation projects planned for H.C. Watkins Memorial Hospital.
Part of the money will be used to replace the roof on the hospital building, supervisors said. Other renovation and repair work is also scheduled on the building, which is owned by the county, but maintained by the hospital board.
Hospital administrator Fred Truesdale brought supervisors a resolution in which they guaranteed a $600,000 loan with millage, if necessary. Supervisors approved the move on a 4-0 vote.
Supervisors also voted to allow the hospital administration to use some of its equipment to guarantee a loan for $300,000. In the agreement between the county and the hospital, should the hospital default, the equipment goes to the county, which is why the hospital needed the supervisor's approval.
In other matters, supervisors:
Granted tax exemptions to Dart Container and the Solar Group;
Gave $500 to the HOSA Club of the Clarke County Vocational Center so students could attend a seminar;
Approved a resolution which would extend County Road 6721 200 feet;
Approved a motion to repair the motor on one the ambulances for $354. This money will come out of Paratech's monthly allotment;
Approved the hiring of Charlie Lewis and Dwayne Brown to work at the landfill;
Acknowledged constable Phil Fuller's statement of earnings.
Lindy Slay, Clarke County's coordinator for the volunteer fire departments, told the board of several projects.
The county is presently seeking bids for a new class A pumper truck to be used by the Harmony Volunteer Fire Department. Once the truck is delivered, the Harmony Fire District should go down to an 8 fire rating;
Also, Slay is working with the Rolling Creek Volunteer Fire Department to establish a new fire district. The department has been up and running for several years. It has a station and three trucks, but does not have an established fire district.
Also, Slay reported that work is under way on the new DeSoto Volunteer Fire Department station.
Steve Swogetinsky is regional editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at sswogetinsky@themeridianstar.com.