Budget, tax rate adopted

By Melinda L. Lucas

With very little discussion, directors of the Shackelford County Hospital District okayed the proposed budget and tax rate at a meeting on Monday, Sept. 21.

A budget of $3,049,455 was approved unanimously on a motion by Mike Folsom, with a second by Leslie Belcher.

The proposed tax rate of 20.05 cents, which is the no-new-revenue calculation, was adopted on a motion by Folsom, seconded by Myra Hise.

Other Business

•It was reported during the meeting that a $22,000 machine had been ordered so the clinic can perform rapid testing to detect positive COVID cases.

•The directors voted to pay for paramedic training for current employee Chad Roberts, and also directed district administrator Jera Fairley and EMS director Tina Ulbrich to contact and set up a payment plan for an individual that needs to start repayment of his school costs, since he is not fulfilling the requirement to work for the district.

•The report for Sanders Drug Store indicated a sharp increase in deliveries to customers, with 82 for the month of August, most of those to local residents over the age of 65.

•Ulbrich stated that ambulance calls had already reached 40 for the month as of Monday, and she also said that there have been a couple of demonstrations of the new self-lifting stretcher that the district purchased recently.

•Board president John Ayers spoke for a few minutes on board ethics and conduct, urging the directors to use discretion and consideration when dealing with district employees and in the community.

•Two separate issues – personnel and the ongoing drug diversion investigation – were discussed during a 40-minute closed session at the end of the district portion of the meeting, but there was no action on either subject when the board reopened the meeting to the public.