Elbert BOC Approves Millage Increase to Fund Hospital

By David Williams, WSGC Radio, Elberton

The Elbert County Board of Commissioners is proposing raising the millage in order to meet a request by Elbert Memorial Hospital for more funding.

In June, the Hospital Authority Board and executives from AnMed Healthcare asked the county for an extra $660,000 to cover the cost of indigent healthcare.

At Monday’s regular meeting, Elbert County Commission Chair Tommy Lyon shared a letter the board had received regarding the hospital’s closure impacting the local granite industry.

“It says the closing of Elbert Memorial will certainly have an impact on the granite industry in the areas of workman’s compensation. Currently transportation is a small percentage of the workman’s compensation claim, because of Elbert County hospital being close and the medical center being close”, read Lyon. “To compensate for the rise of costs of claims, insurance companies may be forced to raise their rates.”

Before a vote was taken on whether or not to add a proposed one mil increase to the county’s millage rate, Commissioner Harold Reynolds made a motion to allow County Attorney Bill Daughtry to draw a resolution to ask State Representative Tom McCall to introduce a bill to the state legislature.

“That would help provide for indigent care for publicly supported hospitals and EMS units. The resolution would consider one or more of the following options, a) SPLOST monies, b) state sales tax, or c) tax on lottery”, said Reynolds.

Commissioner Reynolds motion passed unanimously.  A separate motion was made by Commissioner Horace Harper for the county to implement a one mil increase for a year to raise the requested $660,000.

That motion passed with a vote of 4-1 with Commissioner Chris Alexander voting against.   Commissioner Harper said he was happy the motion passed.

“This one mil will not be to give raises; it will not be to give bonuses, it will be done to pay off bad debt”, said Ashworth. “It will not be for more salary, and that is the reason I supported it. After a lot of thought and praying, I decided I will support it.”

Commissioners must now hold three public hearings before a final vote will be taken to increase the millage.