BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — The Blount County Commission met Thursday to discuss an agenda with proposals focusing on an ongoing dispute with Blount Memorial Hospital, as well as one that would increase the Blount County Sheriff's Office's budget enough to buy a new patrol car and memorialize the car driven by Greg McCown, a deputy who was fatally shot.
Three proposals on Thursday's agenda focused on Blount Memorial Hospital. All three passed. The first approved an amended charter agreement with the hospital, the second settled ongoing lawsuits with the hospital and the third effectively approved the sale of a property meant to address a concern at the heart of the dispute — finances.
Blount County Commissioner David Wells sponsored all three and previously said he appreciates the opportunity to be part of this process. He also said the proposal about the management agreement is "the most significant."
That proposal approved an amended charter agreement between the county and Blount Memorial Hospital, Inc. The agreement gives BMH the authority to manage and oversee the county's only major hospital. It also implements a nine-person board of directors, mostly made up of people approved by elected bodies in Blount County, Maryville and Alcoa.
The controversy between BMH and the Blount County Commission started in June 2022, when Blount County leaders wrote the hospital a letter saying they had concerns with how the hospital's former CEO was chosen — Dr. Harold Naramore. Leaders also spoke about concerns regarding the sale of a property in Alcoa.
Later in December 2022, BMH filed a lawsuit that asked for a ruling to allow BMH to proceed with plans to sell a facility in the Springbrook area for around $22.2 million. It was opened in 1996 and provided outpatient care, as well as other healthcare services, according to a press release from the hospital. According to the lawsuit, the sale was meant to "relieve its current financial strain."
BMH argued the sales were within its rights, but commissioners disagreed. BMH said the money would be used to shore up its tight budget. Months of dispute followed, and county leaders brought more concerns about the hospital's leadership. In May 2023, a state law was passed that explicitly allowed Blount County to change the hospital's leadership.
The hospital then filed another lawsuit against the county and state, alleging the law was unconstitutional. Later, the hospital told the county that it may not be able to meet its debt obligations without implementing a new "cash flow plan," and asked the county to approve the sale of another property in Maryville, known as Morningview Village. The third resolution would effectively allow the sale to go through.
On Jan. 1, 2024, Naramore stepped down as CEO after county commissioners said they wouldn't approve any proposal from the hospital if he was still in the role. Naramore stepped down after less than two years on the job.
A separate resolution in the Blount County Commission approved an increase of $70,725 for the Blount County Sheriff's Office so it could buy a new patrol car and preserve the one driven by McCowan.
He was fatally shot in February during a traffic stop. Another deputy, Shelby Eggers, was wounded in the traffic stop.
"We respectfully request that you allow us to purchase a replacement vehicle, in order to preserve/memorialize the patrol vehicle that fallen deputy McCowan was assigned. We have already appropriated and planned for our budgeted vehicle funds for this year, and so ask that you would appropriate this increase, allowing us to incur this unplanned and unexpected expense, as we do not intend to reassign his patrol vehicle," said BCSO in a letter to the commission.
The letter also said the sheriff's office would be able to absorb smaller expenses related to McCowan's death in its current budget. However, it also said BCSO may return to the commission in May or June if the sheriff's office's budget for overtime costs runs out.
It said following the shooting, the sheriff's office used a "material amount" of overtime funds.