Laird Hospital leads council agenda
By KATHRYN MARTINEZ news1@kilgorenewsherald.com

The end of Laird Memorial Hospital - at least as a traditional hospital - will likely be nearer after the Kilgore city council meets Tuesday night.

Council members will face an agenda that includes a number of hospital-related issues.

Among those is approval of agreements which would lease part of the facility to Longview Regional Hospital and part to Diagnostic Clinic of Longview. Yet another agreement would lease hospital property to Allegiance Health Care.

The council is also expected to forgive a $774,328 loan from the city to the hospital. That loan began as a $563,106 loan in 2003 and was increased by another $211,222 in 2004.

Council members will also ask the Roy H. Laird Memorial Foundation - the charitable foundation which has provided stable income for the hospital for decades - for $500,000 which the hospital would use to reduce its debt to J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. Separately, the council will approve two issues related to the disposition of the Laird Foundation's trust for the hospital.

After all the paperwork is cleared up, it appears that what was Laird Memorial Hospital will operate as a long-term critical care facility operated by Allegiance and as an outpatient clinic operated by Longview Regional and Diagnostice Clinic.

In other business Tuesday evening:

- Chris Dunsworth, president of C&J Real Estate Management, doing business as Platinum Homes of East Texas, will make a presentation with the help of B.J. Owen, city director of community services. Dunsworth is expected to ask for council participation in upfront costs associated with development of Remington Estates Phase III, behind Chandler Elementary and beside Maude Laird Middle School.

Kilgore Community Development Corporation has tentatively agreed to sell the land to Dunsworth for development.

- Under items listed on council's consent agenda is a property conveyance by Sheriff Sale Deed to Raymond and Dana Cook, at 506 Newtown Rd., for the construction of a new home.

- A public hearing is scheduled for items previously approved by the Planning and Zoning Committee.

Jackie and Vickie Clayton, local business owners, have plans to build an On The Go convenience center with a fast-food restaurant, drive-through car wash, more fuel pumps and additional parking, at the intersection of North Street and Henderson Boulevard. On The Go is an Exxon Franchise.

The property that was once home to Rocky Ridge Apartments, adjacent to the couple's existing store, is zoned "local retail one." The committee approved rezoning to "local retail four" Wednesday, to allow construction of the new expanded and improved store.

Planning and zoning board members also agreed to a zoning change, subject to an agreement with Antonio Rodriguez, property owner, in which an area of Longview Street zoned for light manufacturing shall be granted special use permit zoning.

Rodriguez intends to build a community center for holding parties.

- Action tems include amending city code to allow an exception by permit for placement of outdoor dining furniture in designated Main Street areas.

- Council will also discuss financial assistance to Kilgore Soccer Association as well as road maintenance at Dogwood Estates outside of Kilgore off of Highway 31.

- Council is also charged with identifying funding resources for a new Emergency Medical Services facility; consideration of purchases for city water and sewer department; and discussion of a scheduling a community forum for South Street Park.

Kilgore City Council meets 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26 at Kilgore City Hall in Council Chambers.