Thursday, September 25, 1997
Area news roundup
Hospital backs nursing contracts
ANSON -- The board of Anson General Hospital voted Tuesday
night to support the contracts of two nursing students.
The approved contracts will allow Linda Middleton and Tonya
Cornell to obtain educational requirements to become registered
nurses. The hospital has supported similar contracts in the past.
In other matters, the board agreed to participate in the Rural
Community Health System when it becomes available in West Texas
in several years. Trustees OK'd a non-binding letter of intent
which stated the hospital is willing to work with the organization
for Medicare-managed care.
The August hospital report showed 220 emergency room visits;
average length of stay, 5.9 days; average daily census, 11.2 patients;
and 57 discharges.
Year-to-date income through Aug. 31 showed an operating revenue
at $2,239,397 and expenses at $2,175,534. After adding $11,894
in non-operating gains, the hospital reported $75,757 above expenses
and losses.
Hospital financial picture improving
COLEMAN -- Hospital net revenues for the year are about 20
percent above budget while expenses are up only 4.9 percent, said
Bill Clark, chief financial officer for Coleman County Medical
Center.
In Clark's report to the hospital board Tuesday, he showed
gross revenues of $7,450,774, net revenues of $4,591,872 and expenses
of $3,579,741.
President Roy McCorkle said, "We have worked hard to come
to this point. Few people realize that it costs approximately
$13,709 per day to operate our hospital."
Monthly figures for August showed $660,334 in gross revenues,
$493,356 in net revenues and $339,154 in expenses, Clark said.
After an evaluation of administrator Mike Morris in executive
session, the board voted to give him a 10.77 percent salary increase.
Morris has been with the hospital 15 months.
"When you came, we were borrowing $55,000 to meet our
payroll," McCorkle said. "Now we have $300,000 on hand.
We have satisfied $400,000 of debts. We have our own EMS service
where we were paying $80,000 a year, and we have three new ambulances.
We have added Home Health Care and have three doctors under the
age of 40."
Kingsbery to resign as Santa Anna judge
SANTA ANNA -- Municipal Judge Barbara Kingsbery has submitted
her resignation, effective Dec. 1, to the Santa Anna City Council.
Kingsbery cited pressing duties in her ranching business as
well as operations of Weststar Oil & Gas Co.
The judge has held the city position for five years. She also
has filled in occasionally as city secretary in the absence of
Alys Pelton, the regular secretary.
"I have enjoyed working with the city staff and police,
and I am sure I will miss it but feel this is best," Kingsbery
said.
Sprint ordinance gets first reading
STEPHENVILLE -- The City Council heard the first reading Tuesday
of an ordinance which will grant Sprint Telephone Co. a new city
franchise if the council approves the ordinance after two more
readings.
Sprint community relations manager Robert Burns said the current
franchise does not expire until 2006 but needs to be replaced
due to deregulation of the industry.
The new franchise, Burns said, would allow Sprint to pass taxes
to the customers, as other utility companies do.
Under the current franchise, Sprint pays the city a tax based
on two percent of its revenues. Under the new franchise, the tax
will be passed to the customer at a rate of 70 cents per access
line per month. That amount, Burns said, will approximate four
percent of Sprint's revenue.
If the council adopts the new ordinance, Sprint's franchise
will be effective Nov. 1, expiring in 2010.
County offers $25,000 for store venture
COLORADO CITY -- Mitchell County Commissioners agreed Tuesday
to provide up to $25,000 to help purchase property involved in
the ALCO chain store development project in Colorado City.
County Judge Ray Mayo said the joint project with the city
could create 30 jobs and increase the local tax base.
The variety store may be constructed in the 2000 block of Hickory.
Mayo noted the money would be transferred only upon the closing
of an agreement with ALCO.
In other business, commissioners agreed to purchase right-of-way
from the state on the Interstate 20 access road to the new Covenant
Community housing project for $600.
This will connect the access road to the housing area, Mayo
said. As part of the arrangement, the county voted to deed two
county-owned lots to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Work is under way on the 72-unit housing project for which
three model homes are open for viewing.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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