The Lawrence County Healthcare Authority is one of the largest collectors of taxpayer money annually in the area. For almost 50 years, the residents of Lawrence County have entrusted the board with property taxes that now generate about $800,000 annually.

The board also has millions in various bank accounts and investments. Hospital audits clearly show that boards have made wise decisions. But, if you want to know why they made them, you’ll have to drive to Birmingham or go to Moulton attorney Cecil Caine’s office.

Why?

Because the board failed to make sure records paid for with taxpayer money remained at the public hospital in Lawrence County.

This became apparent in April when the board hired Montgomery attorneys Thomas Gallion and Thomas Mancuso to look at dissolving Attentus Moulton LLC, the company that operated the hospital for Attentus Healthcare before the company defaulted on its lease.

The hunt for answers sent the lawyers to Susan Doughton’s office in Birmingham. Doughton was the lead counsel in the lease transactions with Baptist Health Systems and Attentus.

She had boxes of Lawrence County records in a Birmingham storage facility. Doughton said in a letter to the board that she has “pieces” of information Mancuso requested.

Cecil Cain, the board’s attorney for almost 20 years, said he has incomplete records in his office.

While the board may disagree on what the lawyers need to view in the Attentus situation, they should agree that hospital records should be kept at the hospital.

Furthermore, the board should insist that Doughton and Caine immediately return all records to the hospital where they belong.