The Hopkins County Hospital District held their monthly board meeting on Tuesday.
The first item of the discussion was the 66,000 square foot building for D6, Inc. There is a $4,370,000 price tag on it, including $2,700,000 for equipment. It will add 31 more positions, far outpacing the original estimate. Employment rate is incredibly low in Sulphur Springs and the addition will help, but the new employees will need housing. The D6 request was approved.
The board continued to review and approve the RFP bids for plants and trees. Bids for landscaping were sent by John Dingham Landscaping and M and S Landscaping. After much discussion, John Dingham of Mount Vernon was selected to provide the landscaping services at a lower bid of approximately $22,000. The irrigation and sod will already be in place.
The board also approved a new communication system for EMS. The new system will integrate with all officials, including police, fire, and EMS in the surrounding counties. “We would respond to issues in these surrounding areas,” said Brent Smith, Chief Executive Officer at Hopkins County Hospital District.
The equipment will be capable of analog and digital trunking P25 compliant-secure radio communications. Social media posts these things quickly, but the communication will not be as easily tracked with the new system. There will be a complete overhaul, but it is needed according to Smith. “We will be in really good shape for years,” said Smith. It will remove extra hardware devices and it is federally priced. “It is a turn-key deal,” said Smith. Staff will need training. The board voted to approve the purchase of the new communications system.
In other business, the hospital district was recently selected for a random audit by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The audit was successful under a $230,000 annual tobacco settlement process.
A resolution was approved for the district of a real estate contract settlement, executing documents necessary to complete the final sale of a property on Davis Street. The board went into closed session, returning with no further discussion. The Hopkins County Hospital District have proposed July 19 to be the date for the next board meeting.