LHD board receives 2023 tax rate proposal

The Lavaca Hospital District Board of Directors met Monday holding two meetings.

The first meeting was in regards to the budget where Lavaca Medical Center’s chief financial officer Tracy Green presented the 2024 operational budget as well as the three-year (2024-25-26) forecasted capital equipment budget.

In addition, Lavaca County tax assessor/collector, Deborah Sevcik, presented both the No-New-Revenue (NNR) tax rate and the Voter Approval (VA) rate to the board.

Sevcik said the total appraised value for the district was up 12.89%, which meant taxable values are up.

Sevcik then presented the calculated NNR rate to be .1179 cents per $100 valuation and would generate $1,665,375. She also presented the VA rate of .1280 cents, which would generate $1,808,040. Both calculated rates had a .0000 debt rate.

Following Sevcik’s presentation, Green informed the board that if it chose to go with a rate above the calculated VA rate, an election would be required. However, should they go with the proposed VA rate, one hearing is required.

After accepting the tax assessor’s calculations, the board voted to propose the VA rate of .1280 cents and set Wednesday, Aug. 30 as a hearing date.

The special-called public meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the conference room of the LMC Health and Wellness Center.

Last year’s tax rate .1317 cents.

At that meeting, the board is expected to adopt the 2023 tax rate proposal as well as the 2024 operational budget.

Also during the budget meeting, the board also approved the 2024-20252-026 Capital Equipment Budget as proposed by Green. In addition, the board approved contract service agreements for 2023, the annual review of public funds investment policy and the community benefits plan annual report for 2023-24.

Following adjournment of the budget meeting, the board met in its regular monthly meeting with only two items on the agenda.

In the regular meeting, the board heard from Lavaca Medical Center administrator, Steve Bowen, who presented the administrative/financial report for July.

Bowen informed the board of physician recruitment saying there will be a Urologist starting at the LMC specialty clinic beginning in September and will see patients one day per week.

Also in regards to physician recruitment, Bowen said Dr. Subramanian left the hospital for another position.

As a result, Bowen said he has credentialed with two other GI doctors, who will begin their practice here in November. He said one of the physicians is from San Antonio and the other is from Houston. The two GI doctors will work here one week at a time.

Bowen said they have a medical student who has been at LMC for the past month and rotating with Dr. Heck.

Regarding facilities, Bowen said the walking trail on the LMC property has been completed and looks really good. The walking trail was funded by a grant.

Bowen said the construction of the new radiology room is now completed and up and running. It was made possible by grants received from the Johnson Foundation and the Dickson-Allen Foundation.

Bowen said they recently had an unannounced survey by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, who reported no deficiencies.

The hospital also had a recent mammography survey, who also reported no deficiencies as well as receiving a commendation.

In the financial report, Bowen said the gross district revenue is up 20% year-to-date and was up 4% in July.

He said the total district revenue is up 21%.

Bowen said the revenue is amazing considering for the entire year they lost one physician, another out due to a medical situation and a third on maternity leave.

“The revenue has done remarkable considering we’re limping on one leg with medical staff,” Bowen said.

In regards to the clinic, Bowen said the revenue was up 6% in July and year-todate is up 4%.

“The clinic is doing very well,” Bowen said.

The only other item on the regular meeting’s agenda, the board heard from LMC director of nursing, Marlene Irwin, who presented the quarterly nursing report.

Board president, James Fenner, presided over the meeting with board members Rosanne Gallia, Forrest Kroschel, Gene Schott, Carl Hobbs, Doug Kubicek and John Allen present for the meeting.