The Quitman City Council approved a tax rate of $0.5411 per $100 valuation last Thursday. The rate consists of maintenance and operations at $0.3900 and interest and sinking of $0.1511 to bring the total to the $0.5411.

The council opened the session with a public hearing to discuss the tax rate, but no citizens were present, and Mayor Randy Dunn ended the hearing. The adoption of the tax rate was approved unanimously. Aldermen Susan Resnik, Jack Robinson, Brad Medlin, David Dobbs and Mayor Randy Dunn were in attendance. Alderman Steve Glenn was ill and unable to attend.

The council approved the proposed budget as presented. The 2022 budget is set at $1,848,485 which is slightly higher than last year’s budget of $1,771,325.

The council also approved the budget for the Quitman Development Corporation (QDC) which is $283,150 for the upcoming year, a small increase from $275,150 last year. The council tabled the appointment of new members to the QDC board until the next meeting. 

In another matter, the council approved a budgeted QDC contribution of $20,000 to a fund set up with the Lake Country Charitable Foundation, a 501c3 organization. The fund will enable other citizens and organizations with the opportunity to donate to the foundation to help with repairs of the historic pavilion at Jim Hogg City Park.

The council also approved an inter-local agreement with Wood County for Tully Davidson to serve as fire marshal for the city of Quitman. Another inter-local agreement with the county approved Davidson to provide emergency management for the city.

After the regular meeting, the council held a workshop to hear from UT Health Quitman CEO Jared Smith concerning using some of the American Rescue Plan funds given to the city for needs at the local hospital. Smith is reaching out to city councils in the county and plans to make a presentation to Wood County commissioners on UT Health Quitman’s needs. 

The city has received $458,000 from the fund while Mineola received $1.2 million and the county $8.8 million. The hospital is seeking $1.2 million from the local entities to aid them in many areas, especially the hiring of nurses.

“We need your help in order to continue to keep beds open and services in our community going forward,” Smith noted.

Smith said UT Health Quitman is seeking 12.2% of the funds received from the cities and the county. Quitman’s part would be $55,000. Smith said that acute care hospitals across the area are at or near capacity making it extremely difficult to transfer patients needing a higher level of care. The impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant has seen positivity rates climbing. 

The whole country, including Wood County, is suffering from understaffed professionals, especially nurses. Hospitals are scrambling for ventilators and other necessary clinical supplies. Smith added that nurses are getting “poached” from some areas to go to higher paying jobs being offered by hospitals across the state and country. The latest Delta variant has resulted in massive nursing shortages across the nation and state.