Greenville still has hopes for UAB tie with hospital

BRUCE BRANUM/THE GREENVILLE STANDARD

L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital(Bruce Branum/The Standard)

To follow is a press release by the office of the Mayor of the City of Greenville on Tuesday, July 11, 2017:

Dexter McLendon announced today that the City of Greenville and an affiliate of Quorum Health Corporation have entered into a nonbinding Letter of Intent whereby the city will acquire L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital.

It is the intent of the city to form a Health Care Authority to own and operate the hospital and may enter into an agreement with UAB Health Systems to manage the hospital.   Negotiations are continuing and it is anticipated that a definitive agreement will be entered into on or before September 1, 2017, with the transfer occurring on September 30, 2017.

Mayor McLendon stated on Wednesday, July 12, on the Greenville radio station Q94 that the council is considering increasing the city tax by one-half percent. Consumers who shop in the Greenville city limits will pay a 10 percent tax on most purchased items. It would pay for running the hospital according to Mayor McLendon.

Currently, between state and local taxes, the city collects 9.5 percent of purchased price.

The mayor was upbeat but spoke he was not at liberty to say what the price would finally be. They have less than 90 days to complete the transaction.