Decatur County Commissioners have entered into contract with a physician to provide health care at the County Jail and County Prison.

At their Tuesday morning meeting, commissioners unanimously approved an agreement with David Phillips, M.D., to see and treat patients at a scheduled time each week at the jail and prison, and at other places and times as needed. He will also be on call 24 hours per day for both facilities and perform laboratory and radiology services.

For his primary care services, the county will pay Dr. Phillips $158,000 per year. They will also pay additional money to Phillips for all dental and mental health services, hospital expenses, physician specialist services and other services, as deemed necessary by the doctor.

The county government will arrange for a pharmacy to provide all necessary medications Dr. Phillips may prescribe to the patients. The county will employ two full-time registered nurses; one will be assigned to both the County Jail and County Prison.

The contract stipulates that Dr. Phillips will be working as an independent contractor and will be required to maintain, at his own expense, malpractice liability insurance in the amount of $1 million per occurrence and $3 million in the aggregate. The contract, which can be canceled by either party with 90 days’ notice, also releases the county from any liability arising from the doctor’s treatment.

Backhoe bid approved

Commissioners unanimously approved a low bid of $68,700 from Flint Equipment of Albany, Ga., for a new John Deere 310SJ backhoe, which will be used by the County Public Works Department. The bid comes with an optional five-year buyback price of $47,500.

Public Works will rotate its 11-year-old backhoe to the Industrial Air Park, where a 1997 backhoe is currently in use. Public Work makes extensive use of a backhoe for installation of drainage pipes and clearing out ditches. At the industrial park, a backhoe is used to maintain the park’s water and sewer system.