By Bobbi Pippin
Polk County commissioners have agreed to sell Copper Basin Medical Center to the City of Ducktown for $600,000. Going into the Tuesday, February 20, commission meeting, Polk County owned three-fourths of the hospital and the other fourth was owned by Ducktown.
The commission’s Building and Grounds Committee, chaired by Greg Brooks, recommended the sale to the full commission board.
Ducktown Mayor Doug Collins had first presented the idea of the city buying out the county’s portion in August of 2023.
This sale includes the entire property as well as any furniture, equipment, and inventory. Commissioners agreed the $600,000 would go towards building a new courthouse on the East side of Polk County.
Collins said there are many plans regarding the building with healthcare being at the forefront. He said that healthcare is needed in the Copper Basin area and he has had interest to operate this building as a much needed healthcare facility, if not a hospital, then an urgent care facility.
One concern arising over the sale is the East Polk office of Polk County Clerk Jackie Rogers. Currently, Rogers operates a full-time, full-service office in Building A of the medical center. Under the Sale Agreement, she has 60 days after closing to vacate the office.
While the contract does allow for Polk County and Ducktown to enter into an agreement allowing the County Clerk to continue to utilize that office, no plans have been made to keep the office there past the 60 days. Collins said that the electric bill is very high to heat the building in which her office is located.
There are no current plans for where to locate a County Clerk office on the East side.
Collins believes that the commissioners will find a spot for Rogers. He stated, “We want to keep her here (Ducktown). She provides a service and she needs a room to do that.”
Rogers told commissioners, “I don’t want to cause any problems.”
Rogers is not required to have an office on the East side of the county, but has expanded the office’s services to a full time operation since she was first elected in order to make things more convenient for residents.
With an office on the East side of the county, it is much easier on residents to take care of business such as purchasing or applying for vehicle licenses, tags, and titles without driving to Benton. If a new office isn’t found, something that could once be done during a person’s lunch break could require time off work to make a trip to Benton, officials agreed.
Rogers was joined by County Executive Robbie Hatcher in telling the commissioners that it is up to them to find a suitable location for her office.