Montgomery City Council Creates Healthcare Authority Despite Funding Concerns

The Montgomery City Council voted 6-3 on Nov. 3 to establish a healthcare authority, a move intended to manage hospital funding within the city, according to a report by Black Belt News Network.

The new authority will function as a separate legal entity. Its primary purpose is to handle the funding for hospitals located in Montgomery County.

While the council moved forward with the creation of the entity, the plan faces a major hurdle: no specific funding source has been identified yet. Mayor Steven Reed has advocated for the authority to protect long-term healthcare access in the city.

The decision was not unanimous, and several council members expressed doubt regarding the relationship between the city and the Montgomery County Commission. The county commission has not yet decided whether to participate in the new authority.

Councilor Oronde Mitchell questioned the potential consequences of a split approach, asking, “If the county decides not to engage (with the healthcare authority), what did that path look like?”

Councilor Andrew Szymanski also raised concerns, noting that the resolution does not clearly define the specific roles of the city versus the county within the authority’s framework. Councilor Charles Jinwright pointed out that the current structure does not assign any responsibility for the county’s hospital needs to Pike Road or Hope Hull.

Despite these reservations, Council President Cornelius Calhoun and Mayor Reed pushed for immediate action. Calhoun argued against waiting for another government body to set the pace for the city.

“I think it’s just absolutely insane for this council just sit back and wait over another government entity (Montgomery County) to lead us on what we’re trying to go,” Calhoun said.

Mayor Reed echoed this sentiment, noting that the city has a history of establishing various authorities without waiting for the state or the county to act.

Montgomery currently lacks a public, government-owned hospital. While private facilities like Jackson Hospital and Baptist Medical Centers accept patients without insurance, the creation of a formal authority changes how the region might manage medical infrastructure.

The authority would follow a model used by several other major Alabama medical systems. Hospitals operating under the Health Care Authorities Act of 1982 and 1984 include:

Huntsville Hospital
Decatur-Morgan Hospital
North Alabama Medical Center in Florence
DCH Health System in Tuscaloosa
Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis
RMC Anniston
East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika

For now, the city’s financial obligation is limited to the legal costs required to set up the authority. Mayor Reed and City Attorney Lyn Head indicated that the council maintains the ability to amend the resolution once funding sources are eventually identified.

The measure passed with the support of the majority, while Councilors Jinwright, Glen Pruitt, and Julie Beard voted against it.