The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce and the DeKalb County Mayor’s office would like to invite residents across the county to participate in the DeKalb County Clean Up campaign on Saturday, May 12th. This event will be held in conjunction with the Keep American Beautiful initiative going on across the country. This organization’s mission revolves around a core belief that beauty is a silent but powerful force that makes communities safer, healthier and more livable.
Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, would like to remind everyone that DeKalb County’s peak tourism season is about to begin, so now is a great time to start getting things spruced up for our coming visitors. According to Williams, “I think we are all aware of the value and importance of beautification in our communities to attract newcomers and tourists to our area and to maintain a stable and growing economy.”
To get a head start on clean up, dumpsters will be set up at highly visible and convenient locations a few days prior to the main event. Dumpster locations will be at the Dowelltown Community Center, Liberty Community Center, Alexandria City Parking Lot (behind square), and the Shopping Center parking lot (close to DeKalb Ace Hardware), 702 South Congress Blvd., Smithville.
County Mayor Mike Foster says, “We would like for people to come out and help clean our communities and roadways. Folks are welcome to pick their own locations to clean, or we will be glad to assign a safe place for each person to participate.”
DeKalb Clean Up volunteers are asked to come to the new County Complex located at 732 So. Congress Blvd., Smithville on May 12th between 9 AM and 10 AM to sign-in and pick up the provided trash bags & rubber gloves. For early sign-up, you can stop by the Chamber office located at the Courthouse Room 201 during regular office hours before May 12th to pick up supplies. Or if stopping by is not convenient, call the Chamber office at 597-4163 to be counted as a DeKalb Clean Up volunteer — just give your name and the general area where you will be working. Whether you’re beautifying your street, a highway, a park, ball field, a stream, or your own home, what a difference we can make through working together!
Tag Archives: 2012
Violet Marie Fuson
91 year old Violet Marie Fuson of Smithville died Friday night at her residence. She was a retired Director of Pharmacy at St. Thomas Hospital where she served for 30 years. She was also active with the American Cancer Society, United Methodist Women, and the Eastern Star. The funeral will be Monday at 4:00 p.m. at the Jacobs Pillar United Methodist Church, where she was a member. Royce Martin will officiate. Burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Sunday from noon until 8:00 p.m. at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home and Monday from noon until the time of the service at 4:00 p.m. at the Jacobs Pillar United Methodist Church. Fuson was preceded in death by her parents, Luther Leonidas and Allie Pearl Redmon Fuson. Two sisters, Peggy Fuson Palmer and Eulalia Annebell Fuson Cobb Vaughn. Survivors include seven nephews, Carlee Conway Cobb of Redwood City, California; Luther Fuson Cobb of Arcata, California; Lewis Latane Cobb of Jackson, Tennessee; James Edward Cobb of Salt Lake City, Utah; David Redmon Cobb of Indianapolis, Indiana; John Winston Cobb of Knoxville, and John Anderson Palmer III of Gainesville, Florida. One niece, Janna Marie Palmer Reid of Santa Clara, California. Ninteen great nieces and nephews and three great great nieces and nephews survive. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Fourth Annual Relay for Life 5K and One-Mile Fun Run Set for May 19
The fourth annual Relay for Life 5K and One-Mile Fun Run is set for Saturday, May 19 and the deadline for pre-registration is next Friday, May 11. Race entries will also be accepted on the morning of the race at the check-in location at Green Brook Park in Smithville.
The event is sponsored by and raises money for the American Cancer Society.
The entry fee is a donation of at least $20 for pre-registration and $25 for those registering after May 11. The race begins promptly at 7:30 a.m. RAIN OR SHINE at Green Brook Park on Saturday, May 19. All pre-registered participants must check in by 7:00 a.m. All others must register by 7:00 a.m.
Age divisions for the 5K Run are as follows:
12-18
19-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60+ (women)
60-69 (men)
70+ (men)
Tee shirts will be given to all participants on the day of the race. Awards will be given to the male and female individuals with the overall best times in the 5K Run and the best times in each 5K age divisions.
The Relay 5K Registration Form includes a place for your name, phone number, address, city, state, zip code, your email address, your T-shirt size, your age, and your sex. Check on the form whether you are participating in the 5K Run or the One-Mile Fun Run Walk.
Mail your registration to: Relay for Life 5K Run, 403 South 3rd Street, Smithville, TN 37166. For more information email: bashford55@gmail.com or call Barbara Ashford at 615-417-6563 or Judy Redmon at 615-597-6240. Make checks payable to Relay for Life.
Registration forms are available at the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce and Smithville area banks.
Beer Permit Returned to VFW Club
The VFW Club will soon be serving beer again.
In a brief meeting at the courthouse Thursday night, the DeKalb County Beer Board gave the okay for Quartermaster Thomas Skelenka to pick up the permit at the County Clerk’s Office.
County Attorney Hilton Conger said since the license had never been revoked, the beer board could simply give it back.
The VFW Club had to surrender its permit in March following an undercover investigation into allegations of illegal sales of liquor. Agents of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission raided the club on the Sparta Highway March 15 seizing gambling machines, a raffle prize, and cash.
Operators of the VFW Club allegedly kept selling liquor, even after letting their liquor license expire.
During the April beer board meeting, Sheriff Patrick Ray said he was instructed by former beer board chairman Mack Harney to take the VFW’s beer permit after operators of the club were issued citations for selling liquor without a license and for possession of gambling devices. Sheriff Ray said he retrieved the permit and surrendered it to the county clerk, pending a final decision by the beer board.
Last month, Skelenka told the beer board that the club could not survive financially without a beer permit. He said membership participation had dropped off and unless business picked up and new members could be recruited, the VFW, which has been in operation since 1946, could go bankrupt and have to close its doors.
Beer Board members last month voted to have county attorney Hilton Conger attend the May 3rd meeting to render a legal opinion on how to handle the situation with the VFW since the allegations had to do with liquor and gambling, something the beer board has no control over. The question beer board members wanted to know is whether the actions of the VFW constituted a violation of their beer permit and whether the beer board should impose further sanctions or civil penalties.
As a result of the investigation, bartender Brian Foye was cited for unlawful sale of alcohol and quartermaster Thomas Skelenka was issued citations for storage of alcohol for sale and possession of gambling devices. All are misdemeanor offenses.
Foye appeared in General Sessions Court on Thursday, April 12 and received a six month sentence but was placed on good behavior probation. He was fined fifty dollars and court costs.
Skelenka’s case has been continued until May 17th
Meanwhile two other businesses were granted an on and off premises permit to sell beer, the Company Store on Dale Ridge Road near Cove Hollow and the Sharp Lodge on the Cookeville Highway near Silver Point. The Company Store already had an on premises permit, but with this approval, can now sell beer for consumption off the premises as well.
The board also accepted an application for an on and off premises permit from Pablo Gonzales, the new owner of the former Stop Market , LLC at 3794 Short Mountain Highway, Smithville. Final action will come at the next meeting on June 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the courthouse.
(Top Photo: Beer Board Chairman Edward Frazier (right) tells VFW Quartermaster Thomas Skelenka (left) that he can pick up the VFW Beer Permit at the County Clerk’s Office)
Bottom Photo: Members of the DeKalb County Beer Board- LEFT TO RIGHT: Jim Stagi, Robert Rowe, Edward Frazier, Leonard Dickens, Johnny King, Bazel Dick Knowles, and Frank Thomas)
County Budget Committee Okays Funding for Fire Truck
The DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department may soon get a newer pumper for the Midway station.
The county budget committee met Tuesday night and approved a budget amendment appropriation of up to $180,000 from the capital projects fund for a fire truck. The recommendation will go to the county commission for final approval. Bids will soon be advertised for the truck.
As WJLE first reported last month, County Fire Chief Donny Green addressed the county commission during an all committees meeting April 19, renewing a request he made last summer with the county budget committee.
Chief Green, last year, asked that $180,000 be budgeted to purchase a fire pumper to replace the Midway engine which is a 1979 model. By doing this, Green said “we can take the 1975 model truck out of service at the Austin Bottom station and place the 1979 Midway truck at Austin Bottom. This station (Austin Bottom), he said has a low call volume and the 1979 truck should be adequate to “hold them over for a few more years”. Green said the county is looking at major expenses if it continues to keep the 1975 truck at the Austin Bottom Station.
Green’s funding request last summer was not included in the budget this year but he was told that the issue could be revisited later. Chief Green urged the county commission to follow a regular replacement schedule on fire department vehicles, or risk several of them having to be replaced at once.
USDA Rural Development Approves Loan/Grant Funding for Proposed DUD Water Plant
USDA Rural Development has approved loan and grant funding for DeKalb Utility District’s proposed water treatment plant.
During a DUD board meeting Thursday, Chairman Roger Turney announced that Congressman Diane Black has confirmed that the water utility will receive a $5,000,000 loan and a grant of $1,250,000. The terms of the loan are forty years at 2.75% interest. The remaining $4,250,000 needed to build the $10.5 million facility will be funded through a bond issue.
Buddy Koonce, Jr. of Goodwyn, Mills, Cawood, the DUD’s utility engineer said that plans are being drawn up and will be sent to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Once funding is all in place and the state approves the plans, bids can be let on the project. That could come as early as this summer.
But as the DUD board moves forward with its plans, officials of the City of Smithville and others want more answers as to why another plant is needed for the county.
Hunter Hendrixson, Secretary-Treasurer for the City of Smithville, addressed the DUD board Thursday asking why they felt a water plant was needed when the city can sell them all the water they need at cost. “From the city’s standpoint, our plant is a four million gallon a day plant, and with DUD as a customer we’re at fifty percent capacity and have been for many years,” said Hendrixson. “Our contract with you (DUD) doesn’t expire until December 31, 2013. The city would have been open to renegotiating the contract. I just wish the DUD and the city could have had a little better communications.I think the city sells water to you very cheap. I’d say its basically a break even. We’re not making a fortune off of it. I’d just like to ask the question, why build a plant?”
Turney said the county would be better served by having another water plant. “One of the reasons is to be able to control our own destiny. To determine where we can go and where we can’t go,” said Turney. “Over the last several years, several things have happened worldwide that has made it imperative that whenever possible, it makes good sense for areas to have backup water supply systems. If you say, well nothing has happened in years, look what happened in Nashville just a few years ago. They were flooded by a one hundred year flood. They came so close. If there had not been interconnections between other utility districts around them, Tennessee would have had a disaster unmanageable. We think its beneficial for the whole county, Smithville, our customers, and everyone to have a second treatment plant in a day and world we live in today because who knows what could happen. Something might happen to both of us. Its entirely possible,” he said.
According to Turney, other cities would like to have access to Center Hill Lake for their water supply and if the DUD doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity, some other utility may. “Center Hill Lake, I think, is the best water supply in the State of Tennessee. The Corps of Engineers, over the years, is getting more and more restrictive because a lot of people are drawing out of that lake. Cookeville and other areas want more and more water all the time. We looked that over and decided if we don’t get in line and get our piece of the pie in reserve, it may be gone. If we don’t do this now, ten years from now we may say we want to build a plant, and the Corps of Engineers could say I’m sorry there’s no water allocated for you and you can’t do it. That could well happen,” said Turney.
“This is an historical period in our history,” said Turney. “Interest rates are at the lowest people have ever remembered. We’ve got loans committed to us. Just today we received from Congressman Diane Black’s office confirmation of our $5 million loan and a $1.25 million grant to help fund this project. We are honestly not doing this to try to punish Smithville and we’re not dumb. We realize its going to cost a little bit and our customers will have to pay a little bit more because of this initially. But we’ve had at least three different organizations look at our finances and look at the projections for what’s going to happen over the next few years with the assumption that the (water) rates of Smithville continue to increase (to the DUD) about five cents (per thousand gallons) every year. Everything that’s come back to us has said that financially in terms of our customers, in the long run they will benefit financially. Their (DUD customer) rates will be lower, because we will have more control,” he said..
“We know that most industries like to have backups because if something happens to the water treatment plant that supplies them water, if they shut down, they lose. They love to have a backup. That would be a benefit,” said Turney.
“We’ve been dealing with this for years now and we just think it’s the time to go. Everything is in place at the right time. I honestly believe that DeKalb County, the City of Smithville, and everybody involved will be glad that this project was undertaken. We hope with the economic conditions we have now that we’ll get some excellent bids because people are wanting jobs right now. That’s kind of our rationale. That’s not everything but that’s some of the high points we looked at in determining whether or not to go on. We’re trying to decide what’s best for our customers and the whole county. And not just DeKalb County, but all the counties that we serve,” said Turney.
Hendrixson asked Turney if the DUD had plans of expanding its reach into other areas.
Turney didn’t rule it out. “With another water supply, if we had the water supply available, I know Rutherford County would give anything in this world if they could tie into Center Hill Lake,” he said. “We’re less than a half a mile from their water lines. The City of Woodbury, their water supply source is dwindling, going away. We’re positioning, that if we had a water supply for them, they could tie on. Alexandria, we’ve wanted to serve Alexandria for years. We could tie them on. It may be a long time down the road, but I could see Dowelltown and Liberty. Eventually, they may want to tie on. I think there is potential for growth,” said Turney.
Local resident Billy Hale expressed concerns about rate increases.
Turney responded that while rate increases would be necessary, they would not be as high as some have speculated. “There’s been a tremendous amount of misinformation given out here recently,” he said. “No where along the line have we talked about going up fifty percent on our rates. We had to justify and show to the state the potential income to pay for these loans and grants. They don’t just give you the money on your word. You have to verify it with documents. At our last board meeting, we projected a seven percent increase this year, next year, and the next year. Three years running. That seven percent will be enough to pay for the water treatment plant. Our minimum bill now is $17.50. It will go up to $19.00. It will then go up to $20.30 and then to $21.75 over the next three years. We also figured our average customer’s bill is now about $44.00. That will go up to $47.75. The following year, it will go up to $51.08 and then the following year to $54.55. On the minimum bill, that’s $4.25 over four years. That’s not even one cell phone call. That’s insignificant in the times that we’re living in. We’re not talking about major income hardships on anyone,” said Turney.
Tracy Foutch, owner of Foutch Industries, asked if the DUD and the City of Smithville could share their water supply to keep rates down. “Is it possible to share the water, since you both have a limited number of customers, where both the city and county could still supply the same customers and dilute the water rates for both and feed the same water towers from both ends?”
” I don’t know of anywhere in the world, where that is done. That doesn’t seem like something that would work,” said Turney.
Rural Development funds will be used to construct a new Raw Water Intake, Raw Water Transmission Line, Water Treatment Plant and distribution system improvements. The proposed plant will be constructed near Holmes Creek Road and will have a capacity of three million gallons per day. The intake will be on Center Hill Lake, the Transmission Line along Holmes Creek Road and distribution lines will be along Allen’s Chapel, Game Ridge, Turner, South Tittsworth, and Big Rock Roads, and Wheeler Lane.
The DeKalb Utility District serves parts of a four county area, DeKalb, Cannon, Smith, and Wilson.
Members of the DUD board are Roger Turney, Chairman, from Auburntown; Joe Foutch, Jimmy Womack, and Hugh Washer all from DeKalb County, and Danny Bass from Smith County.
Meanwhile, the Calvert Street Group, a public relations firm hired by the City of Smithville, has launched a campaign trying to convince DUD customers through telephone calls, on-line petitions, and other means that a new water plant is a bad idea and that it will result in large increases in water rates. The group seeks to rally vocal public opposition to DUD’s plans.
Donna Emmons Named DeKalb County Teacher of the Year
An educator from DeKalb County High School was named “DeKalb County Teacher of the Year” Thursday night during the fifth annual Teacher of the Year banquet at the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church.
Donna Emmons received the honor and a check for $150 from Liberty State Bank, the sponsor of the banquet. The presentation was made by Director of Schools Mark Willoughby and Roy Nelson Pugh of Liberty State Bank.
Emmons was among five local educators who were recognized during the banquet for being chosen by peers as “Teacher of the Year” at their schools. The others were Beth Cantrell from Smithville Elementary School, Karen Pelham from DeKalb Middle School, Jane Watson from DeKalb West School, and Bethany Rigsby from Northside Elementary School.
Three of the educators, earlier this year, were selected “Teachers of the Year” locally and competed for regional honors in the Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program.
Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction for Pre-K through sixth grade, explained how the Teachers of the Year are selected. “Every year DeKalb County participates in the Tennessee Teacher of the Year program. Each school picks a Teacher of the Year from their school. That teacher is sent to the county level and we also participate in the regional by picking a teacher in Pre-K through 4th grade, a teacher in the 5th through 8th grade, and a 9th through 12th grade teacher. This year we sent nominations over (for regional competition) and we also sent the names of all five teachers of the year where a committee made up of several supervisors from the Upper Cumberland scored our county applicants based on the Rubric scoring guide,” said Burklow. The overall Teacher of the Year from DeKalb County was chosen by this committee.
Emmons teaches English I, Journalism, and advises the student media program, Tiger Media. She has been a teacher in the freshman academy since its inception (now in its 6th year). Cantrell is a kindergarten teacher at Smithville Elementary School; Rigsby, a third grade teacher at Northside Elementary School; Pelham, an eighth grade teacher at DeKalb Middle School; and Watson is a fifth grade teacher at DeKalb West School.
Each principal introduced the Teacher of the Year at his or her school and remarked on how they deserved the honor.
The guest speaker for the banquet was Dr. John Carpenter, Pastor of the Smithville First United Methodist and Bright Hill United Methodist Churches.
(Top Photo: Roy N. Pugh of Liberty State Bank and Director of Schools Mark Willoughby with DeKalb County Teacher of the Year Donna Emmons of DCHS)
(Bottom Photo: Roy N. Pugh of Liberty State Bank (left) and Director of Schools Mark Willloughby (right) with Teachers of the Year: Karen Pelham, Beth Cantrell, Jane Watson, Donna Emmons, and Bethany Rigsby)
Hobert Linnear, Sr.
82 year old Hobert Linnear, Sr. of Watertown died Tuesday at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Born in Wilson County, he was a farmer. The funeral will be Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Hunter Funeral Home at Watertown. Charlie Lawson will officiate and burial will be in the Jennings Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Linnear was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Tittle Linnear; a son, Hobert Linnear, Jr.; his parents, Claude and Nora Frances Lanier; a sister, Mary Tarpley; and brothers, David and James Lanier. Survivors include daughters, Ruth Ann and husband Charlie Lawson of Smithville and Brenda and husband J.R. Estes Linnear of Brush Creek. Twelve grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren. A sister, Nelda Walker of Smithville and Dovie Lanier of Red Boiling Springs. Nieces and nephews survive. Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown is in charge of the arrangements.
Elizabeth Juanita Argue
90 year old Elizabeth Juanita Argue of Roseville, Michigan died Friday, January 27 in Michigan. She was born in New Middleton, the daughter of the late Adron and Bessie Vaden Hickey. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Charles Leonard Argue; a daughter, Manetta M. Argue-Raab, and brothers, David A. Hickey, Jr. and James Ray Hickey. Survivors include a sister, Frances Garrison of Alexandria and granddaughter, Elizabeth Gersabeck and her husband Greg of Michigan. A memorial service will be held Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Alexandria United Methodist Church with Pastor Betty Proctor-Bjorgo officiating. Burial will be in the Brush Creek Cemetery. Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown is in charge of the arrangements.
St. Thomas Health, Capella Healthcare Finalize Partnership with DeKalb Community Hospital
Capella Healthcare and Saint Thomas Health have finalized an innovative partnership resulting in the joint ownership of four Middle Tennessee Hospitals including DeKalb Community Hospital.
The local partnership announcement was made Tuesday during a brief program held at the hospital here.
The partnership is meant to improve healthcare throughout Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky, officials announced Tuesday. Based in Nashville, Saint Thomas Health includes five hospitals affiliated with Ascension Health Ministry, the largest Catholic system and the largest non-profit in the United States. Capella Healthcare, based in Franklin, operates 13 hospitals in seven states, including five in Tennessee.
(The following video features remarks by Wes Littrell, President and CEO of St. Thomas Affiliates and Chief Strategic Officer; Bill Little, Administrator of DeKalb Community Hospital; Mark Medley, President of Hospital Operations for Capella Healthcare; Dan Slipkovich, Capella Healthcare CEO; Hospital Board Chairman Bill Robertson; and Board member Dr. Melvin Blevins)
Effective May 1, the partnership results in the joint ownership and operation of Capella’s four Middle Tennessee hospitals and potentially additional healthcare facilities in a 60-county area of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. Capella hospitals included in the joint venture are River Park Hospital in McMinnville, White County Community Hospital in Sparta, DeKalb Community Hospital in Smithville and Stones River Hospital in Woodbury, all in Tennessee. These hospitals will operate as part of the Saint Thomas Health Network, which will hold an equity interest. In addition, Saint Thomas Health will become the tertiary care partner for the hospitals within the new venture.
(The following video features Mark Medley, President of Hospital Operations for Capella Healthcare)
“This is a landmark partnership for us and the communities we serve,” said Mike Schatzlein, M.D. Saint Thomas Health president and chief executive officer. “Our partnership with Capella Healthcare and their Middle Tennessee hospitals will expand services in the communities we both serve. We look forward to working collaboratively to enhance support for the expansion of cardiac, neurosciences and other specialty services, as well as on strategies for the use of innovative technology and clinical integration.”
Capella is the managing member and the majority partner in the new venture, and under the agreement, Capella will be the exclusive development partner for Saint Thomas Health across Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky.
Capella Healthcare CEO Dan Slipkovich stated, “Partnering with Saint Thomas Health, which is nationally recognized for its quality of care and innovative strategy, positions our Middle Tennessee hospitals for greater success as we expand services. This venture also provides a significant opportunity for Capella and Saint Thomas Health to jointly partner with additional hospitals that recognize the value of these kinds of partnerships, especially as accountable care and health reform continue to evolve. Our two organizations share a commitment to providing the highest quality of care for the individuals and communities we serve, and look forward to leveraging our strengths to expand our services.”
Mark Medley is President of Hospital Operations for Capella Healthcare: “Our focus moving forward is to collaborate in expanding and enhancing the care that’s available in middle Tennessee at the four hospitals who are now part of this new partnership. For one facility, our expansion of services means a name change and a million dollar investment to renovate the facility. On Tuesday, May 1, White County Community Hospital becomes Highlands Medical Center and we launch a construction project that will renovate the interior and exterior of the facility, with a primary focus on all patient care areas. The new name and renovation project will enable the staff to better serve its growing patient base as well as better reflect the broadening population it is serving and anticipated growth in services.”
Additional benefits of the partnership include:
•A new Standard of Quality and Service. Helping to lead the way will be Dr. Bill Thompson, Chief Quality Officer for Saint Thomas Health, who will play a key role.
•Enhanced Cardiac Care: A new investment in expanded cardiac service lines at all four hospitals. While River Park Hospital already has a nationally accredited Chest Pain Center, development of similar recognized centers at the other three hospitals will be a priority, as well as dedicated cardiologist coverage.
•A New System, working together. A re-branding of the four facilities to reflect the new partnership will launch on May 1 with special celebrations at each hospital.
About Capella Healthcare
Capella Healthcare partners with communities to build strong local healthcare systems that are known for quality patient care. Based in Franklin, Tenn., Capella owns and/or operates 13 general acute-care hospitals in seven states. With the philosophy that all healthcare is local, Capella collaborates with each hospital’s medical staff, board and community leadership to take care to the next level. The company has access to significant leadership and financial resources, reinvesting in its family of hospitals to strengthen and expand services and facilities. For more information, visit www.CapellaHealthcare.com
About Saint Thomas Health
Saint Thomas Health is the market share leader in Middle Tennessee with 6,500 associates serving the region. Saint Thomas Health’s regional health system consists of five hospitals – Baptist and Saint Thomas Hospitals and The Hospital for Spinal Surgery in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and Hickman Community Hospital in Centerville – and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures in diagnostics, cardiac services and ambulatory surgery as well as medical practices, clinic and rehabilitation facilities. Saint Thomas Health is a member of Ascension Health, a Catholic organization that is the largest not-for-profit health system in the United States. For more information, visit www.sths.com.
(Pictured above starting left to right: Bill Little, Administrator of DeKalb Community Hospital, Suzanne Williams, Hospital Board Vice Chairman, Brother Bill Robertson, Hospital Board Chairman, Tom Blankenship, VP Business Development Saint Thomas Healthcare, Dr. Melvin Blevins, Wes Littrell, CEO, Saint Thomas Affiliates and Chief Strategy Officer, Dan Slipkovich, Capella Healthcare CEO, Mark Medley, President of Hospital Operations for Capella Healthcare, Mike Wiechart, Senior VP, COO Capella Healthcare)