DAPHNE – City Council members approved support of a bond measure for the Infirmary Health Systems in a split vote after members said the time has come for the Infirmary to bring its free-standing emergency center into Daphne.
The council voted 6-1 Monday, Aug. 2, to support the bond issue. Jim Mitchell, controller with the Infirmary Health Systems, said the system must have the approval of all cities in which it operates in order to finance and refinance bonds needed for operations.
Councilman Ron Scott asked about plans to annex the Infirmary Health property at the intersection of U.S. 98 and Alabama 181. The Thomas Hospital free-standing emergency center opened in 2017, according to reports. Thomas Hospital is part of Infirmary Health Systems.
Scott said he was on the Daphne Planning Commission when plans for the emergency center were first proposed. During discussions with Infirmary CEO Mark Nix, Daphne officials asked that the property become part of the city.
“At that time, we had indicated to Mr. Nix that we would like to see that property brought into the city of Daphne,” Scott said. “Because of time, he indicated at that meeting that it was the Infirmary’s intention to bring that within the city. But it has not, thus far been brought into the city. We would like to see that particular piece of property, I don’t want to hold this up, but I would like to get some kind of commitment from Mr. Nix and from the Infirmary that y’all are within a reasonable period of time, 60 to 90 days, would apply for annexation of that.”
Mitchell said he was not familiar with the negotiations to annex the property but would contact Nix.
Councilman Steve Olen said he would not support the bond plan until Infirmary officials agreed to the annexation.
“I will support this resolution if and only if, Infirmary follows through with its previous commitment to annex that property. I want to be clear,” Olen told Mitchell. “My intention is I think we should not approve this until we hear back from y’all.”
Olen voted against the bond proposal.
Mayor Robin LeJeune said he has discussed the annexation with Nix and other Infirmary officials and plans are moving forward to bring the property into the city.
“We have had contact with Mr. Nix about this issue and we feel we are working toward coming to an end of that situation,” LeJeune said. “They understand that it’s out there. Every conversation my office has had Mobile Infirmary and even Thomas Hospital, any meetings we’ve had, it comes up and it’s brought up and I think we are going to get to a solution.”
The mayor said he hopes to bring a schedule for annexation to the council in the next several weeks.
