Archive for 2022

The Salem Memorial District Hospital held their tax rate hearing Tuesday at the hospital library. The estimated assessed valuation for real estate in Dent, Crawford, Iron and Shannon counties that comprise the hospital district last year was $192,139,394 and personal property was estimated at $70,357,485 for a total of $262,496,879. For the current tax year, the hospital estimates real estate taxes to come in $193,975,816 and personal property taxes to be $82,223,455 which comes to $276,199,271. The current tax rate is 24 cents per $100 assessed valuation and the maximum rate the board could approve was the 24 cents per $100 assessed valuation rate which is expected to generate $638,887. The board approved the maximum rate. The tax rate hearing was then adjourned.

The Salem Memorial District Board of Directors met in the hospital library Tuesday evening. Interim CEO Don Babb said a hospital public meet and greet hog roast will be held September 7th from 11:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon where people can meet the new practitioners and Dr. Neely. He said renovation work is being done on the clinic to open up more registration windows to alleviate congestion. Dr. Al spoke about Dr. Munfakh and he will be on the Salem campus once a month beginning September 9th. He is a cardiothoracic surgeon, but Dr. Al said he will also be diagnosing many lung related issues in Dent County and will provide a point of service to Dent County patients to keep them home for their treatments and services. CEO Babb said the hospital ambulance repeater was hit by lightning Tuesday morning and most services have been repaired. Babb said Dr. Neely will start at SMDH Family Medicine on September 1st while two new practitioners will be coming to Salem by November. They are Family Nurse Practitioners Samantha Welch and Amber Hogan. In the summary of operations for the month of July, the hospital had 76 inpatient admissions with 308 inpatient census days. There were 121 census days of swingbed with an average length of stay of almost 10 days. During the month, there were 650 emergency room visits with 247 ambulance runs where 178 patients were transported. In July, there were 29 surgical procedures cases, 1,176 outpatient registrations, 5,664 lab tests, 1,145 radiological procedures, 706 rehab treatments and 146 home health visits with 16 home health admissions. The days cash on hand dropped to 54 with $4.4 million total cash. The hospital showed a loss from operations for July of $344,061 with an Excess of Expenses over Revenues of $339,584. CFO JoeAnn Hammond said the hospital would pay off the $51,099 Medicare Advance balance by the end of the week. Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Sullins gave the Director of Nursing report and she recommended the board improve their nursing scholarship amount for students becoming registered nurses. She recommended increasing the amount from $1,000 per semester to $2,000 per semester with a maximum amount of $6,000 per year. Currently RN and LPN nursing scholars get $1,000 per semester with a maximum of $3,000 per year. There is also a signing bonus offered of $3,000 with a two-year employment contract. The hospital is still looking for nurses for Med-Surg and the night shift in the Emergency Department. The board approved the recommendation. Sullins also said a new visitor policy will go into effect August 28th for COVID patients where they will be able to see one person for six hours per day. She said currently there are 28 positive COVID-19 cases in Dent County. Babb said the Hospital Foundation will be holding a cornhole tournament in April and the 501(c)3 not for profit documents are being reviewed by the IRS. The transformer project is underway and Intercounty Electric has installed a pole and run conduit to the new transformer location. There is also a kitchen drain project which will need an architect and engineer to review and put out for bids. The board approved the purchase of a 2011 Chevrolet diesel ambulance and a 2013 Chevrolet diesel ambulance that will be paid for by a $44,500 donation from the hospital foundation, a $10,000 RHG discount, a $23,480 down payment and a Bank of Salem 36- month lease purchase agreement at 3.9% for $48,420. They also approved the purchase of a new Carrier rooftop air conditioning unit for $25,800 from Victor Heating and Cooling, but there is an 18 to 26-week lead time on getting the unit. CEO Babb reminded the board of the Delta Regional Community Health Systems Development Program meet and greet at 5:30 via Zoom on September 20th. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will meet Thursday at the Salem R-80 Board Room. The meeting will begin at 5:45 with the tax rate hearing that will be followed by the regular board meeting. After the consent agenda the board will hear communications. Dr. Reed and Dr. Wills will update the board on the Tin Gym, HVAC, Summer Maintenance, Construction Trades Building, New Tiger Training, and Safety. Next will be the administrators’ reports from William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Facilities and Athletics, and Special Education. In new business, the board will approve the 2021-2022 Annual Secretary of the Board Report, discuss policies GCBDA, GDBDA, and the Sick Leave Pool; discuss an out of state trip for the Chamber Choir, review RFP’s for the baseball field, review the SRCSP, and consider contracting with HTK for preliminary plans for a new elementary school. The board will also hear any resignations. The board will go into closed session to address personnel issues. The Tax Rate Hearing and regular meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education are both open to the public.

The Creative Arts Center in Salem has had to cancel their figure drawing class for the rest of this month due to their model being under the weather. They apologize for the inconvenience.

The Calico Band will be performing at Echo Bluff State Park this Saturday night at 8:00 at the outdoor amphitheater. The event is free and dress appropriately for the weather!!