BY HANNAH LESTER AND MICHELLE KEY
EDITOR@
OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY —
The commission dicussed the possibility at drafting a formal resolution for a funding request from EAMC Monday night but did not vote on the issue during the meeting, but agreed to have more discussion at a later date.
EAMC has proposed building a free-standing mental health facility to accommodate a larger amount of patients than the current department can currently hold.
Laura Grill, president and CEO of EAMC, approached the commission on Sept. 25, 2023.
“East Alabama is proposing to expand its psychiatric facilities to meet the growing needs for mental health in our community,” she said to the commission on that day. … We are proposing to build a free-standing psychiatric hospital to provide greater in-patient access. As our community has grown, our needs for mental health have grown tremendously as well. We currently have a 28-bed licensed mental health facility as part of the main hospital campus.”
This new project, of a free-standing mental health facility, will add another 12 beds to the county. All beds will now be housed in this building. This is a $23 million project, Grill said, plus $5.5 million for site work.
“So, we are here tonight to ask for funding assistance through the ARPA funds over a two-year period, a total of $4 million toward that facility,” Grill said.
Currently, the hospital serves adult mental health needs, adolescent mental health needs, short-term mental health and a long-term adolescent mental health facility, which includes nine beds.
Because it is a long-term facility, the hospital must have a Sachs-accredited school, Grill said.
The new project will not include more beds for long-term stays, but short-term stays.
“From calendar year 2021 to now, we have had to deny close to 500 individuals psychiatric admission — find them admission in other locations throughout the state — because we did not have the capacity to handle those,” Grill said.
Grill said that EAMC also is applying to have a Psychiatry Residency Program.
“This community is very underserved in psychiatry,” she said.
EAMC has applied for its necessary ‘certificate of need’ and should that be approved, it plans to begin construction in Spring 2024 and it is an 18-month completion project.
OTHER BUSINESS:
- The commission heard the first reading for an opening on the Lee County Planning Commission, District 1.
- The commission tabled at line item pertaining to the amending of a resolution with Avenu Insights & Analytics LLC for the collection and administration of sales and use, rental and seller use taxes levied by Lee County. It also tabled the renewal agreements with the same company. The current agreements expire Nov. 1, 2023.
- The commission heard an update on the Loachapoka Community Park Project. Hudmon Construction’s bid had been approved on Aug. 28, 2023. The commission voted to authorize Hudmon’s request to withdraw its bid due to an error resulting inthe company being unable to execute the contract. Hudmon also forfeits its bid bond.
Parks Manager Ryan Norris, requested that the commission approve the county highway department perform certain tasks in order to reduce the overall cost of the project. This motion was approved by the commission.
McKee and Associates will re-scope the project to include the remaining items in the bid documents including construction of the pavilion, a septic system, sanitary and water system, domestic fire and water, ALDOT required work and all concrete, striping, signage and fencing. - The commission heard a request for support from the Lee County Board of Education.
- The commission approved a salary increase request for the commander of Uniform Patrol Division.
- The commission approved an ABC Application for Happy Hour Cigar Wine Spirits in District 3.
- The commission approved the final plat approval for the Division of Tract B1 Daughtery Subdivision.
- The commission approved the final plat approval for the Williams Frazier Subdivision.
- The commission approved a speed limit reduction for Lee Road 65 from the current 35 miles per hour (mph) down to 20 mph.
- The commission approved a Business Alabama Advertisement.