Athens County Commissioners will soon be seeking the legal advice necessary to terminate a memorandum of understanding with Holzer Health System.
Athens County Commissioners will soon be seeking the legal advice necessary to terminate a memorandum of understanding with Holzer Health System.
Tom McGuire, a member on the board of education for the Federal Hocking School District, asked commissioners at their meeting Tuesday morning to discontinue the memorandum with Holzer following the hospital’s request for exemption from paying property taxes.
In 2013, McGuire said, the multi-facilitated private hospital paid $200,000 in property taxes, $96,000 of which went to the Federal Hocking School District.
McGuire said the school district heavily relies on this money, adding that Holzer believes they should be exempt from paying property taxes due to its charitable work and contributions to the community.
In 2012, Holzer issued bonds that were not authorized by commissioners, McGuire added. Commissioners were never notified when Holzer changed their bond type from the previous year.
“Obviously there was no notice given to Athens,” McGuire said.
Holzer has already paid property taxes owed for the first half of 2014, though they have yet to pay property taxes for the second half of the year.
“I believe taxes are owed while the tax case is pending,” McGuire said.
The commissioners requested to seek legal advice on the situation before making any decisions.
“We’re gonna go forward as long as the merits are good,” Lenny Eliason, county commissioner, said.
Meanwhile, commissioners are also worrying about an Ebola outbreak in Athens County.
“I woke up the other night worrying about this,” Chris Chmiel, county commissioner, said.
At last week’s commissioners meeting, the topic of Ebola was brought up briefly by Chmiel, though Athens Emergency Medical Services Chief Rick Callebs assured commissioners the county was well-equipped to deal with a potential outbreak.
Callebs was present at the meeting this week to quell commissioner worries yet again.
“We are monitoring the updates everyday,” he said.
Callebs will be meeting with OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital this week to discuss protocol if Ebola were to appear in Athens.
mc835713@ohio.edu
