Hospital board votes to donate to sidewalk project

During the Monday, Nov. 21, meeting of the Cedar County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees meeting, the board voted to pledge $1,000 to the Phase II Sidewalk Project. CEO Jana Witt explained the pledges are due before Dec, 28. The grant is an 80/20 grant with the twenty percent being paid equally by the city and the community. Each entity is responsible for pledging $44,000 to the project. The sidewalk will run north on Park Street and South on Park to Hospital Road and turn east and continue to Hwy. 32.

Board members Judy Renn, Jan Neale, John Walker and  Carla Griffin were present along with Witt, Director of Finance Carl Gilbert, Chief Nursing Officer Drew Alexander, Hospital Attorney Bryan Breckenridge and Secretary Terri Heitz.

Gilbert gave the financial report she said revenue for October was $1,836,838, with total operating expenses of $1,184,940. Total deductions from revenue were $788,333. She reported a loss off of operations of $131,694 and a net loss of $107,905 after taxes, interest and donations. The year-to-date operating loss is $100,404. She said Agency staffing continues to be costly for the hospital.

Gilbert mentioned the hospital received three bids for accounting service. The board voted to retain their current account provider, Clifton, Larson, Allen, LLP. CLA came in with the low bid on a five-year agreement.

The board voted to approve policies concerning Computer Base Learning, Waste Management, Hospital Wide Disaster Procedures, Active Shooter, Nursing and Maintenance.

Alexander gave the nursing report. He said the hospital is down to only two contracted agency nurses. Debbie Motley, RN, will transition to CCMH Home Health Department. Alexander said The Critical Diagnosis (TCD) status is completed except for a couple of physician signatures.

Witt said that there were 100 tickets sold to the annual fundraiser which brought in approximately $5,000.

Witt told the board that the grant application for the Cedar County Senior Tax has been submitted. The grant helps to provide in-home services to eligible seniors.

The December board meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 19.

The board voted to go into executive session. There was no report from that session.