JeffCo commissioners to vote next week on closing Cooper Green i

The Jefferson County Commission will vote next Tuesday on whether or not to close Cooper Green's in-patient care services. If the commission votes to stop the care, in-patient services at the mercy hospital would come to an end within 30 days.

In a committee meeting today, commissioners motioned to move the Cooper Green decision to the agenda for next week. The motion carried 3-2 with Republicans David Carrington, Jimmie Stephens and Joe Knight voting for it and Democrats George Bowman and Sandra Little Brown voting against it.

Commissioners Brown and Bowman were vocal in their opposition to closing the hospital's in-patient care.

"This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong, this is what happens when you have politicians around a table," Bowman said.

"Where will the indigent go?" Brown questioned. "Other hospitals? People will be dying in the streets," she said.

Knight said the commission has been "kicking this can for too long" and that they had been talking about this for a year.

Commissioners say the hospital has an average of around 30 to 40 patients in a 120 bed hospital. The average stay for a patient is three days.

The emergency room at the hospital would stay open, but if the commission votes to close the in-patient services, patients would no longer be treated at the hospital or stay overnight.

Supporters of Cooper Green hospital are promising massive protests over the possible closing of in-patient care.

Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.