County Hospital Board Meets, Factions Spar

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – The Houston County Hospital District (HCHD) board met Tuesday, June 20 with two board members absent. The board was set to vote a new person onto the board to replace Dr. John Stovall who recently passed away. 

After the nominating committee again nominated Catherine Jordan and the board received another nomination for Monica Pierre, the board once again was stuck with a tie with no decision taken. Board member Rhonda Brown told Board President Barbara Crowson she could abstain, with Crowson answering she was aware of that and decided to vote. 

In the public comments section, former board member Roy Langford presented information from his research on the ability of Mrs. Crowson to vote, noting several decisions by two different Texas attorneys general confirming the board president’s right to vote on all matters, not only when there is a tie. Other entities, such as the city of Crockett are different, in that they are ruled by a city charter, whereas HCHD is governed by bylaws. 

Mid-Coast Medical Center Administrator Kent Waters was on hand to report the hospital had 744 patients admitted in the month of May with a total of 35 surgeries. Brown asked Waters a series of questions about the history of Mid-Caost and conditions in the other markets they serve and Waters gave her information about other hospitals as he could and promised to send other information later. Other board members thanked Waters for the work he and Mid-Coast is doing. 

Board Member Harvey Bruner requested information on how many patients were coming into the hospital, with Waters repeating the numbers he had given. Bruner asked for a printed copy which Waters promised to provide. 

Again in this meeting, there were a number of comments from the public at inappropriate times, some made by family members of board members. Refusing to sit down or allow the meeting to continue, they spoke out several times during the meeting outside of the time allowed for public comments. 

Board President Crowson read a letter received from Houston County Appraisal District (HCAD) Chief Appraiser Carey Minter requesting the board cede back the unused money due to HCHD in order for HCAD to build a building of their own. Crowson asked the board to consider this and no vote was taken on the matter until the next meeting. 

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]