Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3A
BCJ hospital's general surgeon resigns, closes office
The general surgeon at BJC
hospital in Commerce announced
his resignation and closed his
office Monday.
The following day four former
patients filed suit against him and
BJC Medical Center over alleged
malpractice.
Dr. Keith Ash’s resignation
leaves the medical center without
one of its primary profit centers
and has it scrambling to replace
the services he’s provided for
four years.
“He announced it Monday. It
was a personal decision, and I’m
sure it wasn’t an easy decision
for him,” said Jim Yarborough,
CEO of the medical center.
Ash did not return a telephone
call seeking comment.
Yarborough indicated that Ash
wants to relocate within a group
rather than serving as a sole prac
titioner.
“He’s performed thousands of
procedures and operated here
24/7,” Yarborough noted.
Ash joined the hospital in
March 2004, and his surgical
trade has repeatedly been credit
ed with helping the hospital turn
its financial situation into the
black. His departure has the hos
pital scrambling to find replace
ments.
“We’re doing everything we
can to find alternative services,”
Yarborough said.
They include a gastroenterolo
gist in the specialty clinic, a radi
ologist and other doctors who can
perform some of the procedures
that Ash handled.
“We are also trying to find a
general surgeon who would be
willing to come in two or three
days a week in a clinical setting
and do surgeries at the hospital,”
Yarborough said. “We would like
to find a general surgeon who
would be associated with other
general surgeons in our region,
so they can take some time off.”
Yarborough had nothing but
praise for Ash.
“During his four-plus years as
an active member of our medi-
cal staff, Dr. Ash has performed
thousands of surgical procedures
and has gained the confidence
and respect of many patients,
families, BJCMC hospital staff,
BJCMC medical staff and the
overall community in general,”
Yarborough wrote in an e-mail to
hospital staff. “Dr. Ash has been
providing 24-hour, seven-day-a-
week coverage during his tenure
as our ‘solo’ surgeon with mini
mal time off and has expressed
an interest in joining a surgical
group by relocating his practice
into a larger practice and com
munity.
“Please join me in expressing
our appreciation to Dr. Ash and
wishing the best to him and his
family in their future endeav
ors.”
MALPRACTICE ALLEGED
The suit was filed Tuesday,
June 10, in the Superior Court
of Jackson County on behalf of
Stephanie Floyd, Karen Hunter,
Billy Ray Hawkes and Debra
Kraft.
It alleges that Ash performed
unnecessary surgery, botched two
Nissen fundoplication surgeries
and operated on the wrong part
of one patient. The suit alleges
that BJC Medical Center is liable
for providing credentials allow
ing Ash to perform surgery for
which he had insufficient train
ing, and it seeks triple dam
ages from Ash under the Georgia
Racketeer Influenced and
Corrupt Organizations (RICO)
Act, claiming that Ash and his
Commerce Surgical Associates
“acquired revenue through a pat
tern of racketeering activity.” The
suit further alleges that “BJC was
an accomplice and active partici
pant” in the racketeering.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys are J.
Vincent Cook and R. Christopher
Irwin III of Cook, Noell, Tolley,
Bates & Michael, Athens.
Yarborough declined to com
ment on the suit, which he said
was served last Tuesday or
Wednesday to the medical cen
ter’s attorney.
Lula ... continued from page 1A
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business:
•the council heard from Banks
County Sheriff Charles Chapman
concerning vandalism on the
Banks County side of the city.
Chapman was invited to the
meeting by a resident of Lula.
Chapman said, “I have not seen
any reports come through on
paper on this.” Chapman said
even though his department has
not received any official reports
about the vandalism, he is aware
of the problem and has officers
working in the Lula area. Turner
told Chapman about the problem
with a local group calling them
selves the Lula Boys and about
the Hall County Sheriff’s Office
Gang Task Force that has been
working on this problem in the
city.
Chapman said, “I would like
to tell you and the council that
we want to know about it (van
dalism) and we are willing to
help do anything we can on this
problem. We do want to do what
we can and we will do everything
we can. We want to help Hall
County and you keep the City of
Lula safe from this kind of activ
ity.” Chapman said his officers
have talked with the Hall County
officers about the problem in
Lula. Turner said the problem
time seems to be from 7 p.m. on
at night. Chapman said he has
officers patrolling at night in the
area.
•the council held the second
reading on the 2008-09 general
fund fiscal budget with a bal
anced budget total of $629,454 in
revenues and expenditures. The
millage rate will be 0, the same
as last year due to a rollback by
the city.
•council members voted unani
mously to spend an amount not to
exceed $10,000 to install stamped
sidewalks at the city cemetery.
Bergin said the city has received
two bids on this project, but some
clarification is needed on the pric
ing. Approval was given to accept
the low bidder on the project, not
to exceed $10,000.
•a low bid of $2,700 was
approved for a new sign in front
of city hall. Shapes Formation,
Lula, was the low bidder for the
two-sided sign. The city also
received a bid of $5,800 from
Signs by Tomorrow on this. The
city will handle the installation of
the sign.
•the council approved a design
change acknowledgement for the
wall to be installed in the Veterans
Park.
•the council approved spending
$13,500 on the 2007-08 audit. The
audit will be performed by Walker
and Associates, Gainesville. This
is the same firm and the same
price as last year’s audit, Bergin
said.
•Turner said the dedication pro
gram to re-name the Lula Post
Office in honor of PFC Johnathon
Millican will be held at 10 a.m.
on Thursday, July 3, at the post
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office. Senator Johnny Isakson,
Congressman Nathan Deal and
other dignitaries are scheduled to
attend.
•the council planned two meeting
to work on new zoning ordinances.
Work session meetings will be
held at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 14,
and 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15, to
being work on this project.
•Turner said the city is in the
final days of public comment on
the waste treatment facility pro
posed by the city. The final date
for public comment is July 1.
Turner said, “We are not aware
of any comments.” The facility
should go out for bid soon.
•the council agreed to seek bids
from area banks for three cer
tificates of deposit the city has
maturing. The city will seek bids
for three-month terms, Bergin
said.
•a Lula resident asked the mayor
if the planning codes are ready for
the citizens to view. Turner said,
“This is nowhere near ready for
public review. The council is still
working on this.” The resident
was urged to attend the work ses
sion meetings on this issue.
•another resident asked the
mayor about the status of the
Poole building located next to the
site of the Veterans Park. Turner
said the city has not heard any
thing about the use of the build
ing. “It will not be included in
the park project. This is entirely
separate,” Turner said.
•another resident questioned the
council about the bricks that will
be sold for installation in the
Veterans Park. Turner said, “We
will be selling bricks and we
are not going to limit it to Lula
residents or any branch of the
military.” Turner suggested hav
ing another organization handle
the brick selling.
•Turner said he received a letter
on Monday acknowledging that
the city has been approved for a
$200,000 grant for the streetscape
project. However, plans on the
disbursement of the funds have
not been finalized.
•the council recognized the
June Yard of the Month win
ners. The winners are: Elcano
Broadwater, Belton Manor Drive,
district 1; Steve Spurrier, Morgan
Manor Drive, district 2; Phyllis
Hudson, Seventh Street, district 3;
Wanda Poole, Wheeler Road, dis
trict 4; and Diane Leach, Homer
Highway, district 5.
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Family Connections seeks school supplies
Banks County Family Connection
is accepting applications for those
families needing assistance for school
supplies. Families will need to apply
at the Family Connection office
on Evans Street located next to the
department of family and children
services.
Families must be in the monthly
income brackets listed below in order
to receive the free supplies. Family of
two, $1,484; family of three, $1,861;
family of four, $2,238; family of five,
$2,615; and family of six, $2,992.
Applications must be received by
July 10 in order for a student to receive
the school supplies and book bag
Kindergarteners through sixth graders
will receive book bag). Applications
received after July 10 will only receive
school items that are available.
The annual event will be held from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 17,
in the park downtown Homer. School
supplies will be provided to students
who are enrolled in Banks County
schools.
In addition to providing school sup
plies, there will also be free hot dogs
and drinks. A variety of games and
entertainment has been planned for
the families.
Help is needed in collecting school
supply items or monetary donations.
Anyone interested in helping is asked
to contact the office for a list of sup
plies.
For more information, contact Robin
Trotter at 706-677-1303. Donations
may also be mailed to Banks County
Family Connection, P. O. Box 452,
Homer, Ga., 30547.
Alto ... continued from page 1A
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the meeting:
•the council tabled any action on
renewal of the contract with Baldwin
for fire protection. The new contract
proposed an increase of $4,000 over
last year’s cost. The letter that accom
panies the contract states the increase
is due to the economy and rising oper
ating costs i.e., fuel and maintenance.
This is the second month this item has
been tabled by the council.
•the council adopted a resolution
to transmit a draft copy of the city’s
comprehensive plan to the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs.
Alto’s plan is included in the com
prehensive plan community agenda
for Habersham County. Turner said,
“This is not an approval of the plan,
this is giving us permission to transmit
the draft to the DCA.
•council member Cathy Armour
expressed her concern with the lapse
time when no police officer is on
duty in the city. Armour said, “There
should always be someone on duty
here.” Armour asked if the city could
hire another officer to help cover this
time. Turner said, “We are not able
to hire anyone at this time.” Council
member Margaret Beaupre said, “We
(the council) need to look at the times
someone is on duty to help cut down
on vandalism.” This was a problem
for the city last year during the sum
mer when the city did not have a
police department. Police Chief
Robin Krockum said he does not have
enough officers to cover every hour
every day.
PUBLIC HEARING
The council held a public hearing
on the proposed comprehensive plan
before the council meeting. One citi
zen was in attendance. No questions
were asked.
The next regularly scheduled coun
cil meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on
Tuesday, July 8, at city hall.
POLITICAL
SYMPOSIUM
A Candidates’ Symposium will be held on June 27,
2008 for contested races on the Banks County,
Georgia Primary election ballot. These races will
include the following:
U. S. House of Representatives 10th District
District Attorney for Piedmont Judicial District
Banks County Commission Chairman
Banks County Sheriff
Banks County Board of Education
The Symposium will be held at the Banks County
Recreation Department at 607 Thompson Street in
Homer, Georgia. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the
meeting will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. Each
candidate will give an opening statement and
attendees will then be able to question the candidates.
The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, July 15,
2008. Advance voting will be conducted the week of
July 7 to July 11, 2008.
Sponsored by the Banks County Republican Party.
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