I thought that many of you might be interested in this. I have some more thoughts, but for now I will let the release stand on it's own.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dave Huebner
Spring Hill , TN – In December of 2006, the Citizens for Spring Hill Hospital (CFSHH), a volunteer advocacy group organized to promote the proposed Spring Hill Hospital , requested information from Williamson Medical Center and Maury Regional Hospital under the Tennessee Open Records Act.
The group, which consists of concerned citizens residing in both Maury and Williamson Counties , requested the following information from the Counties relative to their opposition to the Certificate of Need for the Spring Hill Hospital as well as their continued appeal of the nearly unanimous 7-1 Health Services Development Agency ruling on July 26 th:
Total monies expended by WMC and MRH from May 1, 2006 through November 30, 2006 opposing the CON for Spring Hill Hospital
Total monies expended by the respective entities on advertising and marketing during this time period
The identity of any individual, organization or entity which receives any funding or in-kind services from either entity related to their opposition of the CON hearing
In mid January of this year, the CFSHH received a response from officials from both hospitals. As of November 31st, 2006, Williamson Medical Center had invested approximately $449,540 in opposition and on the appeal of the CON. Maury Regional Hospital has expended a total of $261,261.
The Citizens group was alarmed to learn that these organizations, which answer to Williamson and Maury County governments, have spent nearly $750,000 dollars fighting the very citizens that reside in their jurisdictions. This group intends to file an additional request under the Tennessee Open Records Act to obtain information from the time period of December 1 st through March 1st 2007.
As both counties enter into their budgetary processes and will seek to pass a balanced budget by June of 2007, the CFSHH believes the counties need to be held accountable for these expended funds and believe officials should answer the following questions as fiduciaries of the citizen's money:
How much property tax would a proposed $120 million hospital put in the county coffers?
How many computers, band instruments and books would the expended $750,000 have purchased for Maury and Williamson County Schools?
How many elementary school portables and playgrounds could be purchased or how many classrooms could be furnished and painted with $750,000?
How many new teachers could you hire for $750,000?
How many new police cars could you purchase for $750,000?
How much of a county employee pay raise would $750,000 fund?
Should the county raise property taxes when the county owned hospital is spending $500,000 on advertising and lobbyists to prevent economic development in Spring Hill?
If WMC/MRH has $750,000 in extra cash to waste on advertising, lobbyists and lawyers fighting economic development in Spring Hill, maybe they should return an equal amount back to the county to help pay for schools, police and firemen.
Is it true that on average, WMC & MRH are spending about $100,000/month fighting the Spring Hill Hospital?
MOST IMPORTANTLY, how long will the Hospitals continue to spend the taxpayer's money to oppose the Spring Hill Hospital?
Williamson Medical Center and Maury Regional Hospital continue to actively oppose the Spring Hill Hospital. Their appeal is set for April 11th at the Davidson County Courthouse.
The Citizens for Spring Hill Hospital procured 10,250 signatures from Maury and Williamson County residents in support of the proposed Spring Hill Hospital in 2006.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Official: As of November, $750,000 spent!
Posted by Gorilla in the Corner at 2:53 PM
Labels: County Government, Spring Hill Hospital
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is a series of personal opinions and is not meant to reflect an official position by the City of Spring Hill.
6 comments:
The "what coulds" can go on forever on this one. This report only goes through November, and that leaves 5 more months of spending that is going to take place.
What could the respective hospitals be able to provide to the community if they had an extra couple of million laying around? I wonder how many NICU beds could be purchased for 1 million + dollars? How many additional Cath lab beds could be purchased for 1 million + dollars? With an extra million dollars, I wonder if we could get some visitor internet service in that building? Surely we could get something more for our money than legal fees opposing a losing cause!
Here we go again. Isn't it amazing how quite the Citizens have been? I guess after the little debacle with the girl from WMC, they have been hush hush. If only MRH and WMC would roll over and play dead. Cannot wait until the hearing. I bet many people will be surprised at what comes out of the hearing. I bet it will be better than the mayor's depositions. How much has TriStar spent? Take your cheap shots now. When the playing field is level in a few weeks, I think you will see who comes out the winner.
It looks like our old friend is back.
What TriStar has spent is irrelavent, they are a private entity, MRH and WMC are not.. they are spending OUR TAX MONEY for their own financial gain..
They will also be paying quite a bit of Tri-Star's bill. I hope that the citizens enjoy that little bit of whipped cream and a cherry.
Interestingly enough our neighbors to the north are having a mass exodus of leaders, including the Chief Nursing Officer, the CCU Director, and even their defender til the end Chandler Anderson. Something must be going on up there!
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