Saint Thomas Health has signed a new contract for emergency room physician staffing with American Physician Partners, a Brentwood, Tennessee-based company, at four regional hospitals: Saint Thomas Stones River; Saint Thomas Highlands; Saint Thomas DeKalb; and Saint Thomas River Park. Saint Thomas Health is part of Ascension, the nation’s largest Catholic and non-profit health system.
“Our goal, as always, is to provide great customer service for our patients, and that means demonstrating compassion, respect and courtesy as we deliver the best care in an efficient manner,” said Andy Wachtel,
President and CEO at Saint Thomas Stones River, Saint Thomas Highlands and Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospitals. “We’re very excited about this new partnership, especially since it’s local to the middle Tennessee area, which gives us more direct contact with leadership there.” The changeover at these three hospitals occurred March 19. American Physician Partners began its work with Saint Thomas River Park April 19.
“We’re looking forward to working with this group,” said Dale Humphrey, President and CEO of Saint Thomas River Park Hospital. “Our focus is to deliver excellent care in the Emergency Department, which we define as a high quality experience from the reception area until discharge, grounded in care, efficiency and the best possible outcome.”
American Physician Partners works with hospitals to deliver a “world class” patient experience, focusing on team-oriented care with the highest quality, and compassionate and courteous care. The growing organization serves hospitals throughout the United States, and is led by experienced hospital operators and seasoned ER/Hospitalist physicians.
ABOUT SAINT THOMAS HEALTH
In Tennessee, Ascension’s Saint Thomas Health operates nine hospitals in addition to a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities that cover a 68-county area and employ more than 8,000 associates. Across the state, Saint Thomas Health provided more than $78 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2016. Serving Tennessee for 15 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, operating 2,500 sites of care – including 141 hospitals and more than 30 senior living facilities – in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.sthealth.com.

The Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness today announced DeKalb County has been awarded a $5,000 Healthier Tennessee Community Grant to help sustain community-wide projects that encourage and enable physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco abstinence.
“We are pleased to present this grant to DeKalb County in recognition of the great work being done there and with the belief that it will boost efforts to improve the health of local citizens and the overall quality of life in the community,” Governor’s Foundation CEO Richard Johnson said.
To earn the grant, DeKalb County achieved:
* At least 50 percent of K-8 teachers using GoNoodle, an interactive, online tool that encourages exercise during the school day.
* At least 15 percent of faith communities with 100 or more members using Small Starts @ Worship wellness programs.
* At least 20 percent of workplaces with 35 or more employees using Small Starts @ Work wellness programs.
In Tennessee, one in five adults smokes, and one in five high school students uses tobacco. Approximately 34 percent of the population is classified as obese and an additional 34 percent are overweight, and type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure are at epidemic levels.
The Healthier Tennessee Communities initiative takes a local approach to improving Tennesseans’ health by engaging citizens and local leaders in cities, towns, counties and neighborhoods across the state.

Teachers will get a pay raise and support staff a one time bonus with passage of the new school budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
The DeKalb County Board of Education met briefly Monday night and adopted the spending plan which will now be presented to the county commission’s budget committee for approval.
Director of Schools Patrick Cripps calls this a fair budget with no proposed local property tax increase for schools and not a lot of extras.
Although the school system is bracing for a cut in federal funding by 18% or $150,000 the state is sending about one million dollars more Basic Education Program (BEP) funds next year totaling $15,962,000.
In addition to pay raises and the scheduled step increases , the school system plans to spend more money on technology to bring one to one computer devices into the 6th to 8th grade classrooms. “The state sent us $144,000 this year for teacher raises. That comes to about $600 per teacher. We have added a $250 one time bonus for non certified staff. We put in technology for grades 6-8 for one to one devices about $200,000,” Director Cripps told WJLE.
One to one computers are electronic devices that allow students to access the Internet, digital course materials and digital textbooks. By providing students their own notebook computer or tablet, schools make it possible for students to find information instantly to produce rich multimedia content.
“There is going to be a demand for more technology in the schools. The state is sending money for us to put more money for technology and they are tracking it to make sure the funds are going toward technology,” said Director Cripps.
“The state is going to all testing online. At the high school it will be online next year with 3-8 grades the following year. These one to one devices are needed not only for testing but because of the way kids are learning and the way teachers are presenting the material to the kids today. It is totally different from the way that we learned and what the state is asking from our kids today. They are not being taught or expected to learn like we did. They (state) wants them to gather information, not just to give an answer, but a thought process on how they are arriving at an answer and how they are to use that in the real world,” Director Cripps continued.
The new budget also includes $20,000 for a school building feasibility study. “We put in $20,000 for an architect to come in and do a study. It is my hope that with an architect study we will be able to get a break down of different school sizes (options) and what it would cost to build those schools,” he said.
The general purpose school budget for 2017-18 totals just over $22 million dollars. Anticipated revenues are budgeted at $ 20.7 million. More than $1.2 million of the school’s reserves may be needed to balance the budget on paper but that is less than last year’s projection. “We are trying to go less and less into our reserves and we have done that this year,” said Director Cripps.

DeKalb County will not be implementing a wheel tax anytime soon.
Although at least one county commissioner, Anita Puckett believes a wheel tax is needed to help secure funding for the future construction of a new elementary school, she has decided to delay asking for a vote on it until the Board of Education presents the commission with a building plan based on results of its own feasibility study.
Puckett addressed the issue during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting of the county commission. “I have spoken with (Director of Schools) Patrick Cripps Friday and today (Monday). They (school board) are actually meeting with the Upland Group Architectural firm and they are going to be getting them to do a more indepth feasibility study and with that study they will be able to tell us specifically what they desire and the cost on that. We’ll hold off on making any decisions about how to approve that revenue until we follow up with the board of education about what their desires are,” said Puckett.
Prior to the county commission meeting, the Board of Education Monday night adopted its tentative budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year which includes $20,000 for a school building feasibility study.
“We put in $20,000 for an architect to come in and do a study. It is my hope that with an architect study we will be able to get a break down of different school sizes (options) and what it would cost to build those schools,” Director Cripps told WJLE.
Puckett, who serves as a fifth district county commissioner and is also assistant Principal at Smithville Elementary School, first raised the issue during a county commission education committee meeting and then shared her suggestion with other members of the commission during an all committees workshop Thursday night at the courthouse.
The County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) recently conducted a building feasibility study and concluded more classrooms are needed particularly at the lower elementary grade levels within the system.
Puckett said the county commission should adopt a wheel tax and earmark the funds for school infrastructure. The commission can take action on its own to implement a wheel tax but passage requires at least a two thirds vote (10 out of 14) in support on two separate readings at least a month apart. Residents opposed to a wheel tax could mount a petition drive between the first and second readings to force a public referendum on the question.
A proposed $50 wheel tax at the current car count in DeKalb County would raise approximately one million dollars a year.
“We’re in dire need of a new school. The need is pretty much pre-K through 8 but we can build any type of school in that range as far as the need. My point is whatever they (school board) chooses to build, we need to start looking at approving revenue to build a school. I mentioned to the education committee about a wheel tax. I know that is a sensitive subject but it is a very strong way of generating revenue to build schools. The average age of our schools is 41 years old. The newest building (Northside Elementary) is 17 years old. There is a need. It’s time to be building some schools. Its time to be moving forward,” said Puckett Thursday night.
The county commission took no action Monday night.

The first section of the proposed Highway 56 improvement project is scheduled for a TDOT bid letting in June but may be delayed again.
The original plans called for building a four lane road from south of the Warren County line (in Warren County) to near Magness Road in DeKalb County. TDOT now proposes to build a new two lane road (typical section) with twelve foot lanes and ten foot paved shoulders and passing lanes along the 3.30 mile existing alignment.
“The 3.3 mile section of SR-56 in DeKalb County from south of Warren Co. Line to Magness Road is currently scheduled to be let to contract on June 23, 2017, but it may be pushed back pending some environmental document re-evaluation issues,” Jennifer Flynn, TDOT Community Relations Officer told WJLE.
“This is an Expedited Project Delivery (EPD) project, and the construction re-evaluation of the environmental document needs to be approved by the Federal Highway Administration because the EPD recommendations do not match the original environmental document that was done for the full-build project. Once we get the re-evaluation approved, the project should move forward to the construction letting. Once the environmental document re-evaluation issues are resolved, we will submit the project for the next available letting. Currently our Project Development division is working with the Federal Highway Administration to arrive at a solution,” said Flynn.
Meanwhile, the second phase of the Highway 56 improvement project is tentatively scheduled for a bid letting next year.
“The project from South of State Route 288 to east Bryant Street in Smithville is currently tentatively scheduled for a summer 2018 letting. This is also an EPD project and subject to the same action by the Federal Highway Administration. The construction re-evaluation of the environmental document needs to be approved by the Federal Highway Administration because the EPD recommendations do not match the original environmental document that was done for the full-build project. We will need to get permits and most likely will reassess some of the environmental issues. That should take place this summer,” said Flynn.

The Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) Program has funding available to immediately assist applicants in need due to a temporary emergency situation. Applicants must be income-eligible and show their need for service based on guidelines for each program.
You may qualify for a one-time payment if you are 60 years old or above, disabled, a family caregiver, or have a child under the age of six.
You may qualify for a one-time payment toward rent, mortgage, electric, water, or food assistance if you have a household with one member working at least 29 hours or more a week.
Please contact your local UCHRA office during business hours for details.

With more than 30 years of experience promoting and leading in agriculture, Wilson County native Keith Harrison, with ties to DeKalb County, will take on the role of Assistant Commissioner for the Consumer and Industry Services division at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Commissioner Jai Templeton made the announcement today.
“Keith’s roots are in agriculture,” Commissioner Templeton said. “From his professional experience to his personal life as a farmer, Keith has extensive agricultural knowledge and has developed strong relationships, respect and credibility in the ag community. I am confident he will be a staunch defender of consumer protections while ensuring a positive environment for business development.”
Since 2001, Harrison has put his skills and experience to work for the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, headquartered in La Vergne, Tenn. From marketing to public outreach, to management of and recruitment for numerous corporate and educational events, Harrison excelled in a variety of roles during his tenure with the Co-op.
This appointment marks Harrison’s return to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). He served in the Market Development division from 1984 until 2000, working his way up from an agricultural marketing specialist to assistant marketing director to ultimately, the marketing director. Harrison was instrumental in development of the Pick Tennessee Products and Ag Tag campaigns, which remain hallmarks of TDA’s public outreach today.
“Agriculture is my passion and I am truly humbled to be asked to serve in this capacity,” Harrison said. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with the Consumer and Industry Services division team members to build on their successes.”
Harrison will assume his responsibilities as Assistant Commissioner on May 30. His predecessor, Jimmy Hopper, recently retired after 32 years of leadership with TDA.
Harrison is very active in the community, currently serving or having served in leadership positions with the Tennessee Council of Cooperatives, Farm Animal Care Coalition of Tennessee, Farm and Forest Families of Tennessee, National Agri-Marketing Association, American Feed Industry Association, Cooperative Research Farms, Middle Tennessee Ag Club, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, UT Institute of Agriculture Alumni Council and Wilson County’s UT Alumni chapter, Leadership Wilson, as well as Wilson County’s Agricultural Hall of Fame board, Fair board, Farm Services Agency, Farm Bureau and Livestock Association. Harrison has also chaired the Watertown High School Scholarship Fund committee and has devoted his time to other organizations benefiting the state and agricultural endeavors.
“Keith is well known for his leadership, customer service and advocacy for agriculture,” Commissioner Templeton continued. “His desire to grow opportunities for Tennessee producers and ag manufacturers will benefit our entire state. He will continue TDA’s tradition of maintaining a high level of consumer confidence, while fostering an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and business expansion.”
Harrison obtained his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He later achieved a master’s degree in Business Administration in Marketing from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.
Keith and his wife, Julie, have three children and raise beef cattle and produce hay near Watertown, Tenn.