For decades, the Boys & Girls Club and Magnolia Regional Medical Center have provided services to the community in their own ways. Executive directors from both agencies said they plan to continue being an asset as they gave their annual reports to the Magnolia City Council Thursday evening at City Hall.
Last year, nearly 1,200 youths participated in football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball and T-ball. Overall, the B&GC served more than 2,000 kids in 2014 and averages about 350 kids everyday.
"We have our hands full. Several of our programs grew. Our baseball, T-ball and girls' volleyball grew and we anticipate them being bigger," said B&GC's David Smith, who thanked the city of Magnolia for its help over the years.
Smith mentioned that the local B&GC will host the girls' Southwest Regional Softball Tournament starting July 13.
"It was held in Dumas, Texas, last year and the mayor there said it had a $3 million impact on his community. We had already figured out about $1.6 for our community using our formula. We were anticipating between 45 and 50 teams but it could be close to 60 with six or seven coming from Alabama who moved from the Southeast to Southwest Region," said Smith. He noted that tournament registration begins on a Monday and games runs through Saturday.
"For most of them, it's a four-day motel stay," said Smith.
He said they plan to work closely with the city of Magnolia and Southern Arkansas University.
"We want to get the whole community involved because we think it's a big deal for everyone," he said.
MRMC's Margaret West explained that the medical facility employs nearly 300 people and puts about $13.5 million back into the community.
"Our staff is very supportive of the community and thankful for what it does for us," she said.
West said the hospital's main goal is to serve and provide health care needs for the community.
"We will certainly do that, but we do some other things that fall under capital improvements," she stated.
"Last fiscal year, we spent just under $1 million on improvements at the hospital, which included electronic medical records. We also updated a lot of equipment which was not cheap, so we could remain state-of-the-art as for as our equipment goes."
"Electronic medical records is the way of the future and it's not cheap. We started down that road in 2009. Had we not done that, we would not be where we are today," said West.
The director also said MRMC spends a lot funds on educating its staff, as well as training nurses.
"We have nurses seven days a week training at the hospital," she said.
Nearly $200,000 over budget, West said, "We strive to have a positive bottom line, but were not able to do so. We were able accomplished a lot and brought on a couple of things we did not budget for."
The CEO said the hospital averages about 20 patients a day, but said more things are being done on an out-patient basis.
In other business, the council adopted a resolution to utilize federal-aid transportation alternatives program funds.
"This is just the second phase of the Frederick Street Sidewalk Project, which will take it to Calhoun Street," said Mayor Parnell Vann. He said the project will benefit residents in Ward I and II and get people off the streets.
"It's just the process to get the ball rolling for funds to do this," said Vann.
The council also suspended the rules and held three readings for an ordinance levying "five-percent tax on the gross receipts on the preparation, serving, and consumption of alcoholic beverages sold on premises of hotels, motels, and restaurants in the city limits of Magnolia."
The ordinance was approved but Vann said businesses would have the option not to participate.
A resolution to amend the 2014 budget was tabled until the next meeting after a couple of questions that were raised couldn't be answered.
But the council did adopt the 2015 budget by a roll call vote.