VIDEO: County Supervisors Makes Decision on Hospital Ownership

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI News) – It is an emotional issue in Oktibbeha County.

Just the possibility of selling the old OCH Regional Medical Center has people who live in the county divided.

After months of debate and consultants and petitions, today the Oktibbeha County Hospital board of supervisors agreed to let the voters decide the next step.

The session lasted for several hours at the Oktibbeha County courthouse.

In the end, the supervisors agreed to leave the decision to those who put them in office in the first place, the people.

“Oh! I think it’s great. I think the decision of this magnitude should be made by the people and not by, you know, five individuals,” said OCH Administrator, Richard Hilton.

On November 7th, Oktibbeha County voters will decide if couty supervisors ave the authority to sell or lease the county-run hospital.

The decision is being taken well by both the hospital staff and the board of supervisors.

“It’s a county-owned hosptial, owned by the taxpayers,” said District 3 Supervisor, Marvell Howard. “I think at the end of the day, the taxpayers should be the ones who have a say with what happens, going forward with the hospital.”

OCH Regional Medical Center now has until mid September to provide supervisors with data that potential buyers need.

It’s part of the RFP or request for proposal process.

Hospital administrators say some of the information is private; the county disagrees.

So far, only thirty-five percent has been analyzed.

“In order to put that request for proposals together, there has to be a certain amount of information released from the hospital. That’s what that discussion was about, and they’re moving forward with that process of releasing that information,” said Howard.

“We need probably seventy-five to eighty percent range to be able to really provide a potential respondent with enough information to make an informed response,” said board of supervisors consultant, Frederick Woodrell.

Though there were no names released, there is a list of potential buyers for this hospital, should the people of Oktibbeha County decide to sell.