County commissioners and the River Valley Health System board of trustees will meet next month to review the now-closed facility’s status.

Saturday, April 21, 2001

County commissioners and the River Valley Health System board of trustees will meet next month to review the now-closed facility’s status.

It will be held 9 a.m. May 3 at the commission’s regular meeting. Commissioners expect to adjourn to executive session over pending legal matters.

The county called for the joint meeting as a way to receive an update, commissioner George Patterson said.

"We want to make sure everything’s moving forward the right way," Patterson said.

The county commission expects to learn about pending court cases, and get a direction on what happens next, commission president Paul Herrell said.

There has been talk about the future use of the facility, and negotiations have been ongoing, the commissioners said.

Last month, court records showed future rental or lease of RVHS looked promising as the receiver continued collecting funds owed to River Valley and providing information to federal investigators.

Court reports filed by the court-appointed receiver, accountant Bob Payne, stated that ongoing discussions about renting or leasing the main hospital campus and other branches of the hospital were proceeding and looked promising.

Payne has worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to clear a hospital’s debt, which will make it easier to work out an agreement with the other U.S. government agencies to lease or rent the hospital, court records show. By an order filed March 26, Judge Everett Burton granted the motion to pay the government.

Payne expected to report to the court this month about such negotiations.

On March 22, Burton also gave the receiver authority to hire personnel to provide building security; to hire workers for answering audits, subpoenas and claims; to advertise that creditors can file claims and provide forms for claims; to pay rents as needed; to make monthly reports to the court; and to obtain and negotiate offers to manage or operate the former RVHS facilities, with approval required on all proposals by the court.

Multiple lawsuits – or portions of lawsuits – filed against the hospital seeking money owed for supplies, equipment and other items, are still pending.