Committee Appointments Announced by HCHD
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – With an increase in the number of area COVID-19 cases and in adherence to health guidelines, the Houston County Hospital District Board of Directors (HCHD) met on Tuesday, Dec. 15 via conference call.
Once it was determined a quorum was present, the HCHD Directors’ first order of business was the approval of minutes from meetings held on Nov. 17 and Dec. 8.
The approval of minutes was followed by the approval of the District Financial Report for the month of November.
After the financial report was given and approved, HCHD Board Member Dina Pipes presented the ambulance report for the previous month.
“There were 334 requests for service with 221 patient transports. There were 27 cancelations and there were 86 refusals. We had 36 requests to have the helicopter on standby and we flew six patients. We also provided mutual aid 14 times,” Pipes reported.
Concerning the patient transports, Pipes indicated 66 percent of the patients were taken to Crockett Medical Center (CMC), 20 percent went to Palestine Regional, five percent went to Lufkin, five percent went to Huntsville and four percent went to Woodland Heights.
As the meeting continued, HCHD Board President Barbara Crowson addressed the next agenda item which called for the directors to approve the 2019 Financial Audit.
Crowson informed the board Kim Johnson, CPA with the accounting firm of Todd, Hamaker and Johnson was unable to be present at the meeting to go over the audit findings.
Board Administrator Dick Murchison added, “We did not receive the report 72 hours prior to the meeting. We did, however, receive the preliminary report yesterday, but we do not have the final report. We are going to have to table this until next month.”
The next item of business was the selection of committee members for the HCHD’s subject matter sub-groups.
“This has been discussed with the members of that committee and they know which ones they are assigned to. What I tried to do in assigning the committees was to be sure no one is chairman of more than one committee, but that everyone serves on two committees,” Crowson said.
The committees are as follows:
Executive and Budget Committees: Board President Barbara Crowson; Board VP Dr. John Stovall; and Board Secretary Erin Ford.
Facilities Committee: Chair Erin Ford; Harvey Bruner; and Carol Dawson.
Ambulance Committee: Chair Dina Pipes; Erin Ford; and Harvey Bruner.
Finance Committee: Chair Rhonda Brown; Pam Ainsworth; and Barbara Crowson.
Nominations Committee: Chair Carol Dawson; Pam Ainsworth; and Rhonda Brown.
Negotiations Committee: Chair Dr. John Stovall; Barbara Crowson and Dina Pipes.
“When we find a need for any additional committees, then we will do an ad-hoc committee,” Crowson added.
In other matters brought before the Board of Directors, the board approved paying AMR a past due payment of $20,416.67.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]
