Deadline looms to show support for Lee hospital

LEESBURG — The deadline to show support for Lee County’s new hospital is quickly approaching, according to Lee County commissioners. At Tuesday’s commission meeting, board members made a plea for residents and businesses to submit letters of support.

After briefly discussing the status of the Lee County Medical Center, Commissioner Rick Muggridge said the county is still soliciting letters of support to be submitted to the Georgia Department of Community Health so that Lee County can receive the certificate of need required to build the proposed hospital.

The deadline to receive those letters is Friday.

In other business at the meeting, Lee County officials engaged in a lengthy discussion on public safety communication systems, eventually deciding to enter into a new 10-year contract with Motorola to provide emergency service equipment, software and maintenance at an annual cost of $185,291.

The total contract price is $1,081,454. That total includes a $31,699 (20 percent) annual savings on maintaining the equipment.

Interim Public Safety Director Wesley Wells explained to the commission that the Motorola maintenance agreement is regional. Wells said that Thomas County had voted to adopt this agreement and is ready to proceed but cannot until all governments involved adopt the agreement.

“This maintenance agreement must be adopted by four governments, including Thomas, Dougherty, Grady and Lee counties,” Wells said.

Although some board members seemed initially hesitant to agree to the Motorola contract due to previous problems getting parts and maintenance in a timely matter, commissioners eventually agreed to enter into the new contract.

Commission Chairman Dennis Roland said he did not want to wait on parts or service and, under a previous contract, it sometimes took up to two months to get needed parts and repairs.

Motorola reps assured county officials that the new contract would provide service more promptly.

Wells said that, with the board’s vote to approve the agreement, the emergency radio system will be current through 2027.

Commissioners also voted in favor of purchasing a new boom truck and agreed to send that item out for bid. Muggridge said the current boom truck now used by the county is really an old firetruck that has had some equipment and adaptations made to it.

“We use that truck weekly — almost every day,” Muggridge said. “If we need one, let’s buy one.”

Commissioner Luke Singletary agreed that the purchase of the boom truck is important.

“We’ve got to have good equipment if we want our workers to do a good job,” he said.

County officials also discussed road improvements along Lovers Lane Road and Old Leesburg Road which, according to Muggridge “should dramatically reduce driving time”.

Other plans discussed by the board included reaching out to state and federal funding sources for boat ramps.

“There used to be federal money for fishing. The funds are out there if we identify the spots,” Muggridge said.