Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

JPs Study Hospital Problems

Three issues from the Nevada County Hospital board were discussed by the Nevada County quorum court Monday night.

JPs agreed to determine if the appraisal of the hospital by state appraisal standards was the only one to stand upon.

The question came from an issue that the building was appraised for more than $900,000 - but, General Electric Credit Corporation (GECC) had appraised the property earlier for $497,000.

GECC carried the bond indebtedness on the facility when it closed last year.

Different formulas were used to determine the value. GECC is believed to have factored in the value from other hospitals which closed in Arkansas and east Texas.

JPs agreed hospital attorney Glenn Vasser should find out for sure it GECC's appraisal would stand or whether the county would have to fund and independent appraiser.

A decision to hold onto the money from the sale of the hospital's administrator home was the tabled by the JPs.

JPs agreed to hold onto the money for expenses and maintenance when the county must take over the building.

The hospital board voted last week to file for receivership to satisfy all its debtors.

Nevada County will take over the building before long and must decide whether to sell the building or sign a lease with an interested party.

The former administrator's home was the only sale from the hospitals property earlier this year.

There were several pieces of property available for sale, and all had to bring 75% or more of the appraised value.

The hospital building appraised for for more than $900,000 - no bids were received for it.

Karen and Ned Ward submitted the only bid for the administrator's home. Karen Ward is the administrator of the closed facility

Nevada County Judge John William Barham told JPs the home sold for $53,101.

Barham said there were some expenses paid in the closing on the property.

He also reminded the group other expenses had already been incurred by the county in the advertising for bids on the sell.

Advertisements were purchased in regional business papers in hopes an industry/service related business would be seeking property similar to the old hospital building.

JP Gary Lewis told the group maintenance, engineers and other expenses could be expected once they are in charge of the property.

JPs did agree to meet next Monday night with members of the hospital board and someone interested in leasing the facility.

Red River Healthcare Management of Shreveport, La., has approached the county, the city of Prescott and others in community about locating a health care facility and rehabilitation unit in the old hospital building.

An undetermined amount of expenses in re-licensing the building and other related costs will be involved if an agreement is reached.

JPs also agreed, in other business, to repay the city of Mena for training costs for one of its former city policemen who is now employed by the Nevada County Sheriff's office.

Sheriff Harold Vines told the JPs during the April meeting that he did not know the deputy had not fulfilled his obligation following his training in the police academy to the department in Mena when he was hired last July.

Vines said the $4,075 was cheaper that the county hiring an officer, sending the officer through the academy and paying other officer's comp time or overtime during the training.

The JPs agreed this month to pay the money, but take it from the sheriff's budget.

The county general budget which JPs will be able to operate from for the remainder of the year is down to $4,300.

An ordinance directing utility companies to report the installation of meters to new homes and mobile homes to tax assessor Barbara Butler was tabled because the item was not on the agenda.

Butler mailed a copy of a similar ordinance to JPs about three weeks ago but did not enter the item onto the agenda.

Steve Buelow, candidate for state representative in district 28, told JPs the ordinance was similar to one Hempstead County had passed in April. Buelow is serving as a JP from Hope.

The ordinance would make Butler's job easier because taxable property, from which funds the county is able to operate, would be reported sooner to the county than in most instances.

Instead of the property owner putting the home on the tax books at his convenience, it would be done as utilities are hooked up and save the property owner time from his schedule in arranging the adding of the property to the books.

This is also beneficial to the county, in case some property owners try to go several years without paying property on new homes for several years.