Jon Levingston provided an account of what took place during the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors meeting on January 21. A story on the issue will be in this week's Press Register. Below are Levingston's thoughts.
Jon Levingston, the county’s representative in matters related to the governance and management of Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, appeared before the Board of Supervisors at its meeting on January 21. Noting that the Board of Supervisors in its resolution of April 10, 2023, committed $15 million to the hospital for operating capital and, reminding them that they received approximately $10.6 million on June 1, 2023, and were eligible to withdraw the remaining amount after September 30, 2024, advised the Board that the hospital was ready to receive the remaining $4.4 million. Supervisor Jesse Harris noted that the Levingston asked the County in 2023 to rent space in the hospital’s Medical Office Building so that the County Health Department could relocate there. He suggested that there had been an understanding at the time of the relocation, that the lease payments would be made from the Hospital Trust Fund and asked Levingston if that amount should be deducted from the amount committed to the hospital. Levingston suggested they study the matter and table the conversation until he had an opportunity to review the leases. Levingston reminded the Board that the County Health Department, operated by the State of Mississippi Department of Health, was, at that time, preparing to leave Coahoma County because the building provided to them by the county was deteriorating and was becoming uninhabitable. Levingston stated that the County Health Department provided a significant healthcare service to the citizens of Coahoma County and that losing them would require some people to travel great distance for some forms of healthcare. He pointed out that the relocation of the County Health Department to the Medical Office Building helped preserve that service for the citizens of Coahoma County.
