Abbeville — Wilcox Commissioners are learning that “doing the right thing,” as Chairman Tracy Tyndal often says, is not easy. After some contentious debate at the board’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, three of the members voted to reinstate health insurance for the doctor who treats county inmates, pay him a salary and pay his medical bills that have been incurred since February of this year.

At the commissioners’ February meeting, they had decided to cease paying the health insurance premium for Dr. Rueben Roberts and his family since he was not technically a county employee.

According to minutes from the March 6, 2007 commission meeting, Dr. Roberts had agreed to visit the Wilcox County Jail periodically to take care of the health needs of inmates there and to be on call whenever he was needed. He would receive no salary, but he did ask that the county provide health insurance for him and his wife. At a later meeting, the physician claims that commissioners also agreed to cover his son.

Now, Commission Chairman Tracy Tyndal says the insurance company will not pay benefits to a person not on the county payroll, and he says he believes the county should be reimbursed for Dr. Roberts’ family coverage since that was not approved in the original agreement in 2007.

The chairman asked newly appointed County Manager Tommy Higgs to study the situation and make a recommendation, but both Commissioners David Brown and Huck Greene said they would like to see the matter settled “tonight.”

Brown moved to accept a proposal from Dr. Roberts that his medical fees since February be paid, that he receive a $350 month salary and insurance coverage for him and his wife and that his attorney fees be paid. Greene seconded the motion, and Commissioner Jawon Johnson also voted to accept the proposal. Tyndal and Commissioner Lanier Keene opposed the action.

Roberts said he was never notified that he was terminated, and he continued to come to the jail and treat prisoners. He also said he was never given the opportunity to be put on COBRA, but Tyndal argued that Roberts was not eligible for COBRA because he was never an employee. Roberts said he was not aware there was a problem until sometime in March when the county insurance refused to pay his medical bills.

Insurance coverage for Dr. Roberts and his family was amounting to $17,000 per year. In exchange, he was on call whenever the sheriff’s department needed him to treat an inmate, thus saving the county numerous trips to the emergency room or a clinic.

Dr. Roberts commented during Tuesday’s meeting, “many of you in this room have been my patients. I would never do anything to hurt this county.”

Commissioners also  got into a discussion concerning solid waste collection and disposal, but no decision was reached in that matter. Tyndal showed with a power point presentation that the total cost of solid waste to the county, cities and residents is $485,388 per year. Southern Refuge which is responsible for collecting all the household trash and transporting it to an out-of-county landfill is receiving $291,204 annually, with $210,000 of that coming from the county.

Southern Refuge owner Ricky Willingham had presented a proposal that would result in about a$23,400 savings to the county. Tyndal, however, had talked with Houston County officials and learned that Wilcox County’s household garbage could be picked up at the county’s transfer station and hauled to the Houston County Landfill at a total cost of $74,895 per year. Dodge, Pulaski and Bleckley counties already are using this service from Houston County, Tyndal said.

The other four commissioners had expressed a desire to keep the business in the county with Willingham, if at all possible. Only Johnson, however, said cost would not be a consideration.

Willingham pointed out to commissioners that someone would have to be stationed at the transfer station during working hours, and that the county would have to purchase a trailer. He also said there are additional hidden costs.

“I would have liked to discuss this with you in a work session,” he said, “then bring a plan to the public. We need to have better communication.”

Another issue that remains unsettled concerns inmate meals at the county jail. According to Tyndal’s calculations, the current meal service which is provided by Sheriff Stacy Bloodsworth is costing approximately $73,305 per year or at least $3.35 per meal.

The state prison system will provide either two or three meals per day that meet all the federal dietary standards for less than the sheriff is providing two meals.

Two meals can be served by the state for $1.88 per meal. If the county opts to serve three meals per day, that cost goes down to $1.58 per meal. Tyndal estimates the savings at $32,000 if two meals are served and $21,000 if the county goes to three meals.

He says commissioners can make the decision to change with or without the sheriff’s consent. Several other commissioners, however, said they were under the impression that the sheriff must agree to whatever plan is adopted.

Presently, the sheriff’s kitchen is not in compliance with state and federal standards. There’s a possibility that the health department could shut it down at any time, but commissioners took no action at Tuesday’s meeting.