HOPE – “I think the important thing that happened last night was the court approved the necessary paperwork to move forward to issue bonds to go ahead and do massive improvements at the hospital all at one time, “ JP Ed Darling said, in response to recent decisions made by the Hempstead County Quorum Court.
Darling said that he can tell from personal experience that if you go to Texarkana for treatment the process takes so long that they feel it affects the treatment of the patients. He said the county wants to improve and enhance this process.
If we had to do it as a pay as you go issue, that would be a possibility but, Darling said there were so many initial needs for the hospital related to patient safety that the county believes need to be addressed “as soon as possible”.
He explained a specific clause was left out which would allow them to go ahead and shoot the bonds off the last special election. He said so and that’s not all bad in the fact that we promised to be transparent and lay down “exactly what they intend to do with it”.
“We promise everyone that we would be transparent and upfront about everything we’re going to do and as part of this.. we’ve laid out exactly what we intend to do with that bond money.” It involves replacing a roof that runs around the gamut of $2.4 million along with heat and air conditioning units and some renovation of a waiting area the community pointed out as one of their concerns, according to Darling.
The result of what the county is trying to do will include primary things like new MRI’s, new ultrasounds, new CAT scans. He said currently the nearest medical help around is a drawn-out process. “You get a call back in a week or two, to schedule it in a week or two, and so just to get a test to confirm what’s wrong with you, and that is time that treatment could be taking place according to Darling. He said they also want to be a “competitive market.”
Mr. Ryan Bowman, an attorney with Friday, Eldrege and Clark law firm out of Little Rock attended the meeting address any questions to read and discuss this bond issue to put on the November ballot. Bowman explained what the bond issue would allow the county to do, according to the minutes provided by the county.
Other things addressed included amending the operating budget for county jail fund for the calendar year 2026. Lastly, they voted on an ordinance adopting the appropriation of the opioid settlement adult drug court.