Region briefs 9/19/02

Miner mayor, alderman symbolically suspended

MINER, Mo. -- Miner Mayor Frank Tatum and Alderman Tom Brock were symbolically suspended for 30 days without pay after being formally censured in a special board of aldermen meeting Tuesday.

Reading from an open letter to the citizens of Miner, Mitch Thompson, mayor pro tem and president of the board of alderman for Miner, apologized for Tatum and Brock's "inappropriate behavior" and for allowing it to go on for so long.

Tatum and Brock displayed animosity toward each other, occasionally culminating in personal insults, in previous meetings, and the letter stated bringing their personal problems to meetings was "not good for the city" and not good for Miner businesses.

The two accepted their suspensions without argument.

Highway campaign will target seat belt use

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- Motorists beware. Someone may be watching you next week.

The Missouri Division of Highway Safety plans to have observers stationed statewide as part of its annual survey of whether Missourians are wearing seat belts. They plan to observe 75,000 vehicles.

Last year's survey found that about 68 percent of drivers wore seat belts -- below the national average of 75 percent.

State law requires seat belt use by drivers, all front seat passengers and all children under 16.

But violators can be ticketed only after police have pulled a vehicle over for another reason, such as speeding, running a stop sign or reckless driving. The state fine for a seat belt violation is $10.

During the next two weeks, state and local law officers plan a special focus on seat belt violations -- an attempt to raise awareness before and during the annual survey, the highway safety division said Wednesday.

Outside firm to manage Mizzou health system

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri has picked a Florida company to bail out its troubled health-care system.

The Hunter Group will run the university's health-care system for up to two years, with the aim of getting the health system financially solvent, the university said Wednesday.

Hunter's contract calls for it to be paid up to $94,000 per month, plus up to $1 million to develop a financial plan for the health system.

Hunter vice president David B. Coats will be chief operating officer of the health-care system. He will report to chancellor Richard L. Wallace.

The university said Hunter was chosen because of its experience with turning around academic health centers such as George Washington University, the University of California-San Diego, and the University of Pennsylvania.

The University of Missouri Health Care system includes University Hospital in Columbia, Columbia Regional Hospital, the medical school training complex and several clinics.

-- From wire reports