City, hospital agree to win-win land, cash swap

With the passage of two resolutions Thursday, the City of Demopolis is separating itself from the healthcare business.

The first resolution ended what Mayor Woody Collins called a “checkerboard” of what entity owned the building and land on which Whitfield Regional Hospital sits. The city gave WRH the property and building in exchange for the hospital repaying all the money the city loaned in the past.

The transaction is a win-win for both the city and the hospital. It increases the cash held by Demopolis by almost $650,000 and decreases its debt by more than $900,000. The hospital will improve its balance sheet by adding the facilities to its property inventory, allowing it to establish effective future capital plans.

In a press release announcing the deal, Collins said the agreement “illustrates the city’s commitment to ensuring the long-term financial stability of the hospital and the recognition that it is a regional hospital belonging to and supported by the entire County of Marengo.”

Collins added that he and the Council “were committed to both support the hospital in its efforts to stabilize its financial condition and respond to those who felt it was important that the hospital not be held by the city since county tax dollars are being used to service the County Bonds issued in 2020.”

Collins added “the cash created by the transaction will help the city in its efforts to reduce debt and shore up the city’s reserves.”

The second resolution called for the city to give WRH its $75,000 ambulance, essentially eliminating the Demopolis Fire and Rescue Department from being the first to respond to a medical emergency.

Local ambulance provider Amstar now will be the only service responding, but Battalion Chief Talmus Williams said the DFRD would serve as backup if needed. The move also stops the appearance that the city is in competition with a private company.

WRH CEO/Administrator Doug Brewer said once the hospital receives its license to operate the ambulance, it will be used by the hospital strictly as a transport vehicle. It especially will be needed when the hospital reopens its Labor and Delivery department in 2022 should an infant need to be sent to a neo-natal unit.

Councilman Charles Jones was the only dissenting vote. He called the vehicle a “rescue truck” that had the capability to transfer if necessary. It cut down the need for a fire truck to respond to medical emergencies from 385 calls to 75 calls, he told the Council. He said the city would no longer be able to answer medical calls if Amstar could not respond.

In his comments Collins regretfully announced the resignation of Battalion Chief Williams, saying, “He’s going to be very, very missed.”

Project director Mike Baker said the work at the intersection of Pettus Street and McNamara Road should be completed by Aug. 30 if the weather cooperates. There have been some problems with trucks using the incorrect alternate route, but Collins said the Police Department has responded well to the issue.

Public Works director Julius Rembert announced a practice burn for the DFRD Saturday at 1409 Center St.

In the work session prior to the meeting, the Council learned that the bids on the City Landing renovation came in 2½ times what was expected. The Park and Rec Department now is working with the state Department of Natural Resources to decide how to break up the project in phases to be able to get everything done. The city is picking up 20 percent of the cost of the project.

Collins said the results of a survey at the City Landing show that “Demopolis now is the proud owner of an island in the middle of the Tombigbee River.” It was his thought that once the new landing is in place, silt would be allowed to build up, eventually linking the shore to the island and provide yet more shoreline for a shaded walking trail.

The mayor said a discrepancy between what the Council wanted and wording in a resolution about house trailers needs to be resolved. Members of the Council agreed that the resolution should have stated that once a house trailer is moved from a lot, it cannot be replaced with another. The resolution instead stated the trailer could be replaced one time. The matter was sent back to the Planning Commission.

Demopolis now has a new unofficial slogan, thanks to a statement Collins made at a recent meeting of West Alabama Works that drew people from many metropolitan areas around the state. He told them, “Leave the metropolis and move to Demopolis.”

Several people in the audience jokingly wanted to know where they could get a t-shirt with the saying. Collins said a local t-shirt company has asked to print such a shirt with the city’s logo on the front and the slogan on the back.