News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Livingston Police will end a security agreement with Livingston Regional Hospital, effective at the end of October.
Police Chief Ray Smith told the Board of Aldermen Thursday night the city had been providing officers on 12-hour shifts to protect the medical facility for several years. Smith said he spoke with hospital management who will likely consider a security firm.
“I found it put us in jeopardy,” Smith said. “And it found that it was sending money out that we was not able to accrue to get because of not having no one there. Mr. (Tim) McGill understood. I didn’t want to take the man’s money, or the hospital’s money. Not have somebody there to continue the work that needed to be done for my job and the safety of that. I felt that it was a situation this time, to have a separation and have a real talk. It was time to move on.”
Smith said he had concerns about the Memorandum of Understanding with Livingston Regional when he took office. But he said the department had success filling the positions early. However, as vacancy issues have increased with law enforcement agencies across the region, taking care of the medical center became more of an issue.
“My real job is to make sure the citizens of Livingston is protected by road police and make sure we can answer calls,” Smith said. “I can’t take anybody off of that. And I found that was a great strain to our department of itself when the hospital was making payments to us.”
Livingston’s attorney sent a letter to the hospital notifying management of the 60-day termination. Council approved the termination Thursday night.
“That word of separation does not mean that we’re walking off and leaving our great hospital,” Smith said. “We’re there on call. You call us, they’re going to call us. We continue. We’re going back to what we used to do.”
The city billed the hospital monthly for the police coverage.
In other business, council elected Rex Dale as Livingston’s new Vice Mayor. Nathan Dale appointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Lori Richards will serve on the Planning Commission. Council appointed Kendall Phillips to serve on the Downtown Revitalization Committee.
Council also approved a grant application to improve downtown-focused signage across the community. A possible $100,000 state grant would go toward the study of where the signage could be place, design, fabrication and installation costs. State Tourism officials suggested the signage as the next step to bring visitors to the renovated Livingston downtown.
“It will help to guide people to the Chamber, to City Hall, to Central Park,” Chamber Director Shannon Cantrell said. Show them where additional shopping is. Say down South Church Street or down North Church, or even down Broad, for that matter.”
