News Releases

August 24, 2006
LaGrange/Troup County Hospital Authority conducts organizational meeting

The LaGrange/Troup County Hospital Authority convened for the first time Thursday to conduct an organizational meeting. The Hospital Authority became a reality on Tuesday after the LaGrange City Council adopted a resolution creating the authority. Earlier this month, the Troup County Commission adopted a similar resolution to create an organizational structure that clearly defines West Georgia Medical Center as a governmental entity.

At the organizational meeting, Hospital Authority members adopted bylaws and elected officers for the authority, which will assume ownership of all West Georgia Health System property and assets and oversee WGHS operations beginning Oct. 1. Within the next year, the Hospital Authority expects to receive IRS approval to operate two new 501(c)(3) corporations – West Georgia Health Services, Inc. and West Georgia Medical Center, Inc. When this occurs, West Georgia Health Services will serve as the parent oversight board to West Georgia Medical Center, West Georgia Health Foundation and Vernon Woods Retirement Community.

In turn, West Georgia Medical Center, Inc. will then lease all properties and assets from the LaGrange/Troup County Hospital Authority, will become the employer to current WGHS employees and will oversee operations for the health system.

The Hospital Authority will initially be comprised of members currently appointed to the WGHS Board of Trustees including: Nasor Mansour, III; Bobby Carmichael; John McKibben; Ida Russell; James McGowan; M.D.; Kenneth McCamey; James Brennan, M.D.; Ellen Harris; and Robert Coggins, M.D. Officers elected to lead the authority include: John McKibben, chairman; Ida Russell, vice-chairman; Bobby Carmichael, treasurer; and James Brennan, M.D., secretary.

In addition, the boards of directors for West Georgia Health Services, Inc. and West Georgia Medical Center, Inc. convened on Thursday to adopt their respective bylaws and elect officers. The five-member WGHS Board of Directors will be comprised of Jim McGowan, M.D.; Ida Russell, John McKibben, Bobby Carmichael and Ellen Harris. Its officers include: John McKibben, chairman; Ida Russell, vice-chairman; Bobby Carmichael, treasurer; and Jim McGowan, M.D., secretary.
The nine-member West Georgia Medical Center Board of Directors will be comprised of Kenneth McCamey

When approved by the IRS to operate as a 501(c)(3) corporation,  West Georgia Medical Center, Inc. will lease all properties and assets from the LaGrange/Troup County Hospital Authority, will become the employer to current WGHS employees and will oversee operations. The West Georgia Medical Center Board of Directors and the officers will be comprised of the same people who originally served on the Hospital Authority.

The Hospital Authority will then be comprised of five members, two of whom will be appointed by the City of LaGrange, two who will be appointed by Troup County, and one joint city-county appointee.