County Seeks Public Input on Natchez Regional Sale

County supervisors for Natchez (Miss.) Regional Medical Center will hold a public hearing Wednesday seeking feedback on the proposed sale of the hospital, according to a Natchez Democrat report.

Several public hearings are required by law before a sale can be finalized. The accounting firm HORNE has completed a required feasibility study and concluded the hospital's sale is in the community's best interest, according to the report. Additionally, the hospital's board of trustees advised the county supervisors earlier this summer that selling or leasing the hospital would be best for the area's healthcare consumers.

In May, the Adams County Board of Supervisors announced they hoped to persuade the hospital's board of trustees to sell it after three potential buyers expressed interest. Adams County, which owns the hospital, failed in its last attempt to sell Natchez in 2008, with the hospital declaring bankruptcy the next year. After the county board of supervisors announced in April that a buyer had shown interest in the hospital, officials said there was a preference for a for-profit buyer to take over to add to the rural county's tax base.

Following this weeks' hearing, the supervisors can choose to adopt a resolution detailing the reasons for selling Natchez Regional, according to the report. After that, the resolution and the required terms and evaluation process for vetting bidders must be published.

Under the law, voters must also file a petition calling for an election to decide whether or not the sale should occur, according to the report.

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