Mentone Matters- June 2024

Being part of a rural community is such a blessing, despite the challenges these areas face. That’s why I’m excited about some projects taking shape that will spell real progress for Mentone, Lookout Mountain, and all of DeKalb County.

As we discussed briefly at the recent Town Council meeting, we are collaborating with Northeast Alabama Community College to establish a presence for the college at Moon Lake Village. Imagine the impact on our community, this part of the mountain, and even into Georgia, if students could take some core classes right here in Mentone. There’s even the possibility of some non-credit classes for the general public. Keep reading The Groundhog for updates as this develops.

I was recently appointed to the HH DeKalb Regional Medical Center board of directors. The “HH” stands for “Huntsville Hospital.” If you haven’t heard, the Huntsville Hospital Health System purchased DeKalb Regional earlier this year. This is excellent news for our county.

The Huntsville Hospital system operates hospitals in Huntsville, Athens, Boaz, Decatur, Guntersville, Madison, Moulton, Red Bay, Sheffield, Scottsboro, and Fayetteville, TN. “And now we welcome Fort Payne and all of DeKalb County,” system CEO Jeff Samz recently said. “We have much in common throughout our region. That’s why our connection through Huntsville Hospital Health System makes our hospitals stronger and better in caring for our patients and supporting our communities.”

I couldn’t agree more. Our local hospital’s membership in such a strong network will benefit our citizens tremendously. First, it reassures us that our hospital will not become another headline of small hospital closures across rural America. Furthermore, we will start seeing upgrades in equipment and service enhancements, along with an emphasis on recruiting more physicians to the Fort Payne area.

In my first meeting with the board, it was apparent that the new owners are dedicated to the communities they serve. They want citizens to have the opportunity to get more of their healthcare needs met locally. As a non-profit organization, they are committed to high standards.

Another encouraging point is that they want citizen input. They want to hear from you, about your experiences being served there, and what ideas you have for services moving forward.

Mark your calendar for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that will take place on June 18 at 10 a.m. at the Moon Lake Village (see story on Page One). This will be a celebration of the public art display that will grace the front of the campus. This project has taken months of hard work on behalf of the Little River Arts Council, with generous support from the Lyndhurst Foundation.

As this treasured school campus continues to evolve, it takes on new meaning for our community while building on the treasured memories we all have of the former school. The fact that the arts are such an important part of that future ties in well with the heartbeat of Mentone. After all, public art is about more than creativity and expression — it can also be an economic driver for small communities. Please stop by June 18 to help us celebrate.

These may seem like separate projects. But when you think about education, health care, and the arts, they are all vital components of quality of life — and of the blessings we enjoy as residents of a rural community.