Extra land donated to child care initiative
Members of the East Phillips County Hospital District Board of Directors approved the donation of half of a city block to the Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative for a proposed child care center.
The land will be added to the board’s previously approved donation of a full city block north of the hospital.
Holyoke City Superintendent Mark Brown and surveyor Josh Skelton were on hand at the meeting Tuesday, Sept. 29, to explain some of the options.
The plans for the new child care center cover a little more than a full city block. One option was to start the difficult process of replatting the lots to reflect those measurements. Another option was to add another half of a block to the donation, and an easier process of vacating the alley and street within the 1.5 blocks could begin.
By adding the extra half-block to the donation, there will also be space for development on the east side of the land in the future, said Skelton.
Brown briefly addressed the board about another strip of MMH land even farther north (closer to the Frenchman Creek) that he would love to see used for flood drainage someday.
Dr. Bailey eager to start in January
Dr. Jimmie Bailey, who has made a verbal agreement with MMH, is eager to begin working in Holyoke in January, reported CEO Cathy Harshbarger during her administrator update last Tuesday.
Bailey is a family medicine physician with over 23 years of experience. He also served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years. Bailey has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, a master’s in aeronautical sciences, a master’s in national security strategy and a Doctor of Medicine degree, in addition to graduating from EMT programs.
Bailey has been practicing in Crestview, Florida, and he and his wife, Penny, both come from small towns in the Birmingham, Alabama, area.
Harshbarger also announced that Tamara Laws is a new hire for chronic care management and Tiffany DiMartino is MMH’s new human resources director.
The CEO also updated the board on a capital request change. Instead of using funds for a telemetry system as originally planned, an exercise treadmill stress system will be purchased to replace one that is not functioning properly in the cardiac rehab department.
Board hears financial report
As part of the financial report, controller Julie Vernon said that net income for the month of August was $113,100 and year-to-date net income was $1,476,101, which was $423,045 over budget.
At the end of August, total days cash on hand was 316, an increase of three from the prior month, and operating days cash on hand was 121, a decrease of two.
Vernon said MMH was below the budgeted amount for gross patient revenue by $176,000 in the month of August and below budget by $3.3 million year-to-date.
She was pleased to tell the board that gross accounts receivable decreased $696,000 to 59 days in August from 68 days in July as a result of an increase in collections and write-offs during the month.
David Applewood, MMH’s new chief financial officer, was introduced to board members at the meeting.
He presented a preliminary budget for 2021, and Harshbarger noted they were conservative with projections for next year because of unknowns with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Other business
In other business at the Sept. 29 meeting, the board:
— Approved the appointment of Applewood as vice president and Vernon as secretary to the MMH Corporation Board.
— Approved updates to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development forms.
— Approved the addition of Applewood to a banking resolution.
— Reviewed Policy 2.9 on emergency administrator succession, Policy 1.2 on achievements within resources, Policy 4.8 on governance investment and Policy 3.4 on monitoring administrator performance.
— Approved credentialing for six initial applications, eight reappointments and one increase in privileges.
— Heard a quality committee report from Jenn Cano.
— Extended the declaration of local disaster emergency for another 30 days.
— Held a 15-minute executive session for strategy.