Guest guest Posted May 11, 2001 Report Share Posted May 11, 2001 TexasCrossroads TexasCrossroads.htm Home | Yellow Pages | News | Sports | Stocks | Community | Directions TV | Calendar | Sales Events | Weather | Movies | Classifieds | Autos | Careers | Real Estate New users Sign On Registered users Sign In Personalize TexasCrossroads -------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP Wire News Business & Financial Entertainment Health & Science International National Politics Sports Technology Matagorda County P. Waller Health care of Palacios residents is at stake Who's hot and who's not in Matagorda County sports Wendel, Clontz win Tidehaven trustee seats Charanza defeats Mc in Van Vleck - Editorials Health care of Palacios residents is at stake Thursday May 10, 2001 The heat seems to be on once again in the ongoing battle between the city of Palacios and the Matagorda County Hospital District Board of Directors. In the latest skirmish, the hospital district lost when the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi upheld the temporary injunction that is keeping the doors open at Wagner General Hospital in Palacios, despite the hospital district's wish to close it. And a trial date has now been set on whether to grant a permanent injunction. The hospital's future is at stake, but more importantly, the health care of at least 5,000 residents in that city by the sea is also at stake. The permanent injunction case will be heard beginning Aug. 13 in Bay City before 130th District Judge Craig Estlinbaum. But that case could be over or postponed before that Aug. 13 trial gets a chance to start if one of three scenarios unfold: G.P. Hardy, attorney for the City of Palacios, thinks his request to the 130th District Court for summary judgment has a good chance of being granted. Hardy feels good about this because the appellate court upheld all but one of the findings by Judge Jo Ann Ottis in the trial for the temporary injunction last year. If that judgment is granted, the trial would literally be over before it started, and the hospital district could be held liable for close to $175,000 in attorney fees recorded by Hardy for Palacios. The second scenario would postpone the trial but not cancel it. Hardy says he will propose to MCHD attorney Dean that the legal proceedings be put on hold and $125,000 of the attorney fees be waived to fund an in-depth study of the health needs in the Palacios area. The final situation is in the process of being formed by the Palacios Medical Foundation and the Palacios Area Health Services Committee. The two groups have had extensive contact with a group called Frontier Health of Dallas, which seems ready to take over the Wagner facility and promise the city at least 10 years of service. Part of the proposal could hinge on whether or not the Palacios City Council is willing to suspend litigation long enough to sit down and talk with the MCHD about the Frontier group. After a meeting last Thursday, the council decided to allow Hardy to continue to work out a proposal with the MCHD, but failed to go as far as supporting a suspension of the trial. It seems to me that a little good old-fashioned common sense needs to be injected into this fray. The three different Palacios groups - the council, PMF and health committee - have said all along that they are willing to have constructive talks about the hospital. But, to my knowledge, no dialogue has occurred. I think it is time to open up lines of communication between the groups. All of the residents of Matagorda County deserve adequate health care. It shouldn't matter what side of the Colorado River you are on. I think Palacios needs and deserves some type of on-site emergency care. The people down there are going to keep fighting until they get that. I admire them for that. I just hope some type of a workable compromise can be ironed out soon. It's senseless to continue wasting big bucks on lawsuits when that money could be used to care for the sick and infirm the way it was meant to be. Advocate News Frontpage News Local/State Nation/World County by County Lifestyle • Anniversaries • Books • Engagements • Food • Garden • Weddings Business Farm Ranch Police/Courts Opinion • Editorials • Letters Births Obituaries Sports • High School Sports Columnists Classifieds Comics Corrections & Clarifications Feedback Web Search Search on The Site Web Search for: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to top Advertising Info | Help | Terms of Use Subscribe to ISP | Subscribe to Paper Give us Feedback about what you think of TexasCrossroads.com Advocate: Editors | Circulation Department | Letters to the Editor | Archives | Submit News Copyright © 2000 MyWay. Portions © 2000 The Advocate Publishing Co. All rights reserved. v. 2.8b wchb3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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