Rumors have floated around Brady for months that the McCulloch County Hospital District had leased a nursing home in Crane, Texas. During the same time period, the Hospital District sold property to a developer to build a nursing home or assisted living facility in Brady. Many people thought these two separate issues were related, but apparently they are not. They are two separate projects.

Adding grist to the rumor mill is the fact that the Precinct 1 (Melvin area) Hospital District seat currently held by Clay Jones is up for election this year. Gary Sutton is running against Mr. Jones in the first contested election for a McCulloch Conty Hospital District Board seat in recent memory. Many citizens discounted the idea that the McCulloch County Hospital District had leased a Nursing Home in distant Crane as small town political disinformation and too far-fetched to be credible.

On Monday, September 29, Gary Sutton ran a political ad on KNEL Radio that put the Crane Nursing home lease forefront as a political issue. Here is a transcript of Mr. Sutton's ad:

Greetings McCulloch County

In past weeks I have been coming to you describing differences between my opponent, Mr. Clay Jones and myself. Today I come with a whole different issue.
In researching various issues concerning the hospital I began to look at the Crane Nursing Home deal executed 6/1/14.

Early on I felt the district may have broken the law by entering into the deal. I have legal opinion that states that indeed the district has BROKEN THE LAW. Per local law 1059.004 and Attorney General opinion JM 257 the District cannot operate outside the boundaries of McCulloch County.

The Hospital Board BROKE THE LAW by entering into a $40,000 per month lease and assuming all of the liabilities for the Crane Nursing Home, over 200 miles from McCulloch County.
I believe other illegal acts may also have occurred and am turning my findings over to the District Attorney, as well as pursuing civil actions of my own.

These findings make the Tim Jones’ newspaper statement of 8/13 (only cost $725) and Clay Jones’ statements at their last board meeting blatantly false and totally misleading. I call on the Board of Directors to immediately do the right thing and:
1. Terminate the three illegal contracts associated with the Crane facility.
2. Terminate the employment of Mr. Tim Jones who executed these illegal contracts.
3. And I call for the resignation of Board President Clay Jones.

This ILLEGAL ACTIVITY MUST CEASE – WE NEED TO REGAIN OUR FOCUS ON HEALTHCARE OVER MONEY.

I am Gary Sutton and I am running for a seat on the Hospital Board of Directors.

 Hospital officials confirm that McCulloch County Hospital District has indeed leased the Crane Nursing Home and Rehabilitation center from Four Cooks Realty LLC for $40,000 per month. MCHD entered into a management Agreement with Healthcare Support Management LLC to operate it. Both agreements were signed by Tim Jones, an employee of private tax-exempt HOT Healthcare Systems. A Hospital board member confirmed that Mr. Tim Jones has authority to sign agreements on behalf of the McCulloch County Hospital District.

Reference:

Mr. Sutton cites section 1059.004 of the Texas Special District Local Laws Code and an Attorney General's opinion (JM-257) in another case indicating that a district cannot own property outside the district boundaries. Hospital officials contend that the lease agreement is beneficial to McCulloch County Hospital District because it is profitable and allowed under section 1059.107.

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