S.R.H.S. Employees Attend Town Hall Meeting

Friday, an injunction was filed in a Jackson County court, stopping Singing River Health System (S.R.H.S.) from freezing its pension plan until a hearing next week. In the meantime, town hall meetings continued for employees of the hospital system, seeking answers about the financial crisis the organization is in.

Friday, current S.R.H.S. employees filed out of a town hall meeting held at St. Paul Methodist Church in Ocean Springs. None of the employees were willing to speak on camera about how they feel now that their pension plans appear to be in shambles, but one former employee not at the meeting didn’t hold back. Windy Taylor, a former S.R.H.S. employee, says, “I just feel very betrayed about how we were told one thing and now all of this is coming to light, and so many people are saying we didn’t know. Well, somebody knew, and I was personally told, ‘Trust me, trust me, we’re going to be ok.’”

For 12 years, Taylor worked in the administrative office as a secretary. Her last boss was S.R.H.S. C.E.O., Kevin Holland. Taylor also says, “There was question from time to time about the finances of the system. We were told repeatedly by the former C.F.O. that everything was great. ‘Don’t worry about it. Finances are in great shape.’ So we believed them, trusted them. They had our futures in their hands.”

On Monday, Holland sent a letter out to current employees, detailing what they can do with the remainder of their retirement money. Richard Lucas, a S.R.H.S. spokesperson, says, “Decisions don’t have to be made exactly right now. Me, this affects me greatly. I’m going to study everything.”

Taylor says she was counting on receiving over $700 a month when she retired at age 62, but now she’s left with much less. Taylor closes, “I have 14,000 in my account with no interest, no matching funds.”

Friday wrapped up the town hall meetings for current employees. Former and retired employees are scheduled to have their own meetings over the next two weeks.