Jekyll authority to partner with Mercer University to open island clinic

Aug. 17—Jekyll Island Authority Executive Director Jones Hooks announced Tuesday that the authority is negotiating with Mercer University School of Medicine to open a clinic in the island's beach village.

The second-floor portion of one of the buildings had been purpose-built for a clinic, Hooks said, as the island has been largely without non-emergency medical services since a drugstore closed years ago.

He had approached the Southeast Georgia Health System, but due to new federal laws and a subsequent loss of revenue, the SGHS was not able to fill the space, he said.

So in the intervening years, he pitched the idea to several medical agencies, returning to the SGHS more than once.

It was a happy accident that JIA board member Buster Evans mentioned that one of the authority's oversight committee members was the director of Mercer medical school's foundation and could get them a meeting with the dean. It was an even happier accident that Hooks knew the dean personally.

"Jean Sumner and I go way, way back," Hooks said. "I was at her wedding."

One reunion later, Hooks had the beginning of a partnership in the works.

The board gave Hooks its blessing to continue negotiations by approving a memorandum that lays out some loose terms, including that the school will pay $10 a year on rent for the first three years.

The memo also states the clinic's hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week during the months of May through August and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. September through April, also seven days a week.

Hooks said the JIA will apply for a rural medical initiative grant from the state Department of Community Affairs to help retrofit the space and provide some assistance in other areas, but by and large, the university will be responsible for running the clinic on its own.

The memo is not a formal contract, Jones noted, and he's still working on the finer points along with a formal lease agreement. He did not say when the clinic might open to the public.

In other business, it's been a banner year for the JIA across the board.

Georgia's record sea turtle nests reached international news last week, but the state hit that milestone at the beginning of the month. The first hatch of the season in Georgia happened on Jekyll last month.

Since then, Davide Zailo, research program manager for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, said 238 nests have been recorded on the 100 miles of coast in the state. More than 9,000 eggs will hatch, but only about one in 1,000 turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood — 35 years of age for sea turtles.

"We expect to see a total of nine reach adulthood," Zailo said. "So a very small increase."

The numbers are nearing, but still fall short of, nesting and hatching statistics from the 1950s. A crash in turtle nesting occurred around that time, which Zailo said likely had something to do with shrimping and fishing.

Several factors have contributed to the comeback, including federal legislation, an endangered species designation, innovations in shrimping technology, and a state-level centralization of sea turtle preservation efforts.

Currently, year-to-year growth in nesting is about 1.3%. To see a measurable population increase, that number would have to be 2% or more, Zailo said.

The island's convention center is also breaking records. Group business is up and is already expected to continue breaking records for the next two years, said Kevin Udell, senior sales manager for the center.

About 70% of the groups are repeats and 30% are new blood, which is a very good balance, he said.

The Georgia Governor's Tourism Conference will be returning next year, said Brian Lee, digital content manager.

Allyson Jackson, retiring general manager of convention center operations, said that since opening 10 years ago the new conference center has played host to over 3,500 events and generated a profit of $5.3 million.

"We have paid our way, and I'm so proud of everything we've done," she said.

Historic Resources Director Tom Alexander said the island's historic district also saw record revenue last year and is on track once again to exceed expectations.

Board members also voted to approve a $3.1 million capital projects and equipment request, with just over $2.4 million coming from the $4.4 million profit. The remaining $2 million would go into JIA's reserves.

Another $583,728 would come from the authority's public improvement fund, $61,353 from the fire equipment fund, and $54,000 from the water/wastewater reserves.

Expenditures range from firefighter gear to convention center kitchen equipment to street paving, all to improve the island's services and quality of life, said Chief Accounting Officer Marjorie Johnson.

Hooks said most of the expenses fall under the category of "deferred maintenance" and that the JIA will have to handle these things sooner or later. Better to do so now than when it becomes necessary, he said.

The board also:

—Voted to issue requests for proposals for a point of sale and ticketing system and a new public safety complex, which will house the island's firefighting force, emergency medical services, Georgia State Patrol and code enforcement, among others.

—Heard an update on rental inspections from Public Safety Director Dennis Gailey.

—Received June and July financial reports from JIA Board Chair Bill Gross and 2021 year-end financial reports from Johnson.

—Listened to an update on county-wide emergency preparation from Glynn County Emergency Management Director Andrew Leanza.