The Habersham County Board of Commissioners will now provide oversight into how Habersham Medical Center gets and spends some its money.
During a called meeting Thursday, commissioners voted 4-1 to adopt guidelines giving themselves the final say on drawdowns and disbursement of $5.2 million in bonds meant to keep the hospital afloat.
Commissioners tabled the issue during their regular meeting on April 20. Chairman Stacy Hall appointed fellow commissioners Natalie Crawford and Tim Stamey to develop the language for an intergovernmental agreement with the Hospital Authority.
Under that agreement, the Hospital Authority can not draw down funds from the bonds without the commission’s approval. The hospital will have to submit its funding requests in writing and provide documentation to illustrate why it needs those funds. The county commission has the right to reject any drawdown request.
While the county holds the purse strings, it can not engage in the “governance, management, or exercise operating control” of Habersham Medical Center.
