“I think it’s a matter that needs to be resolved,” Councilman Donnie Todd told the mayor and council at a Thursday council work session.
Mayor Bill Hereford said he did not put the issue on the work session agenda because he didn’t have time to gather actual figures as to how much the city is putting toward the $31 million hospital project.
Todd said he had three people call him, two county commissioners and a mayor from another city, expressing concern about the possibility of the city not waiving fees and permits for the construction of the hospital.
At the last council meeting Hereford tabled the matter, saying it appeared the majority of the council supported waiving fees and permits for the construction of the multimillion facility.
At that time, he told the council he was going to gather figures as to how much the city is contributing to the project.
“I don’t want it to grow teeth and bite us,” Todd told the council Thursday. “There are a lot of questions as to what we may or may not do. … I’d like to see our position on this and move on.”
He said two cities passed up golden opportunities by not providing incentives for companies like Wal-Mart and Federal Express.
“I would not be in favor of doing anything to cut off our nose to spite our face,” he said.
Todd said he supported waiving all permits and fees for the St. Clair County Health Care Authority, which will actually own the hospital facility once it is built.
“I don’t think we can waive individual business license fees,” Todd said. “That’s something you wouldn’t waive.”
Council members Dot Wood and Donnie Guinn also appeared to support waiving fees and permits for the construction of the hospital.
“I agree with Donnie Todd, there’s a lot at stake here,” Guinn said. “I don’t want to derail anything.”
Hereford said the new hospital is paramount for the future construction of a Veterans Home, which could produce hundreds of jobs.
He said the new hospital could also help springboard a nursing school at the Pell City Jefferson State Community College.
Hereford also pointed out the city would actually waive fees for a government entity, the St. Clair County Health Care Authority, not St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital.
Councilman Greg Gossett said he is not necessarily against waiving building permits and fees, but said the city should not waive sewer impact and water capital recovery fees, saying it could jeopardize the city’s court case pending before the Alabama Supreme Court.
The St. Clair County Home Builders Association challenged the legality of the sewer impact and water capital recovery fees the city established in 2007.
Todd said Friday that waiving sewer impact and water recovery fees would not have any effect on the pending lawsuit because the City Council is considering waiving fees for a government agency, not a private or non-profit business.
Gossett said Friday he wants the public to know how much the city is “giving away” for the hospital project.
Figures he released at the last council meeting for permits and fees were based on a $31.4 million project.
Gossett said he never heard of the $18.4 million price tag for the hospital, which would skew figures he provided to the council. He said that figure came from a contractor involved with the construction project.
He said Friday a member of the Health Care Authority was quoted as saying the construction project could exceed $28 million.
“How can we figure what we’re giving away?” Gossett asked. “There’s so much out there that’s been said with different figures. I just want the public to know how much the city is giving away.”
He said the public has a right to know how much the hospital project is costing the city because it is the taxpayers who are footing the bill.
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