The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors heard complaints from residents on Monday about a recommendation in the annual state audit.
Richard Crawford was on the agenda for Monday’s regular Board meeting to discuss a recommendation in the past three years of state audits that states, “The Board of Supervisors should provide the financial data for its discreetly presented component units for the inclusion in the county’s financial statements.”
Crawford presented a letter to the Board requesting an action be taken on this matter.
The component units not included in the annual audit include the Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home and the 12 volunteer fire districts in the county, according to the audit report.
County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said it would cost between $75,000 and $100,000 a year to audit the fire departments and have that information included in the county statement.
Volunteer fire departments currently submit compilation reports to the county, Lumpkin said.
He also said the county hospital is audited separately, the results of which are reported to the Board of Supervisors and recorded on the Board minutes.
“If we took the expense to audit the hospital every single year, we would have the same response unless we audited the volunteer fire departments,” Lumpkin said. “This will not go away ever unless the Board votes to pay for the audit.”
Several volunteer firefighters and chiefs in the audience responded to conversations begun by Crawford and other advocates of the issue, including Frank Egger and Jeff Smith.
“If you’re really concerned about the fire departments, why don’t you go volunteer,” Board Vice President Hudson Holliday said.
J.M. Howard, Jr., a trustee of the hospital present at Monday’s meeting, spoke about issues the hospital faced regarding the former administration allegedly committing $4.6 million worth of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
Howard said it was through annual audits that the Board of Trustees learned of the fraud and self-reported it, saving the hospital from having to close its doors.
After receiving their critical access designation and opening the emergency room, Howard said they have been able to save countless lives, including one of the Supervisors.
“What kind of value would you guys place on one life saved?” Howard said. “If you want to criticize, come up with a solution.”
Lumpkin and Board attorney Joe Montgomery said the land the hospital is on is owned by the county, so the Supervisors are each responsible for appointing a member to the Board of Trustees, who oversee operations of the hospital.
“The county has nothing to do with how the hospital operates,” Montgomery said. “The hospital trustee Board should be commended for the job they’ve done.”
Board President Sandy Kane Smith had to call the meeting to order several times during the discussion because discussions became heated.
“They just want to know about some accountability,” Smith said.
Lumpkin said he has spoken with the State Auditor’s office about the issue.
“They agreed it did not make sense for us spending that much money to audit volunteer fire departments,” Lumpkin said.
The Board took no action on the matter and moved on to other agenda items.
See tomorrow’s Item for more information on Monday’s Board meeting.