Anniston council votes to take legal action defending suit by RMC

The Anniston City Council  voted Monday to take its own legal action defending against a lawsuit filed by Regional Medical Center

The resolution adopted 4-1 by the council was read  by city attorney Bruce Downey, and ticks off a list of items in which city officials claim the RMC board surprised them and left them in the dark:

-The drafting of a three-year strategic plan, that included consideration of a partnership with a larger entity such as UAB Medical Center.

-A dispute over reimbursement rates with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama that resulted in BCBSAL announcing RMC would be dropped from its network, a decision that was later reversed.

-A public relations offensive against Blue Cross that city officials feared would make the situation even worse.

-Alleged "secret" and non-public meetings.

-Not following notification procedures outlined in state law or its own charter when RMC purchased Jacksonville Hospital, now known as Jacksonville RMC.

-The talk of transferring some 15 beds from RMC in Anniston to Jacksonville RMC.

-City manager Brian Johnson not being allowed into an executive session of the board after being appointed to the board.

-The RMC Board's lawsuit against the city, and the temporary restraining order that overturned the city's resolution replacing the board's chairman, the decision to sue allegedly reached apparently reached while Mayor Vaughn Stewart was meeting with representatives from the other entities who appoint members.

The one council member voting against the move, David Reddick, said the city itself has kept him in the dark on RMC-related matters.

RMC's board is made up of appointees from the city councils of Anniston, Oxford and Jacksonville as well as the Calhoun County Commission.

Anniston gets five appointees to the board, under the city ordinance setting up the board, which translates to each council member, including the mayor, getting to appoint one member. RMC is a non-profit hospital.

A hearing on the temporary restraining order in RMC's lawsuit is set for Friday.