Limestone County and the City of Athens have taken over operation of the kidney-dialysis van and will restart immediately transporting patients to and from the Kidney Dialysis Center.

That was the word Monday from Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert who said a trained medical person would be hired to drive the bus. He said the county is appropriating $20,000 a year toward the project and that is expected to be matched by the Athens City Council.

The city and council recently agreed to transport kidney-dialysis patients to the center. Last month, volunteer van drivers for the Athens-Limestone Kidney Association said they would not be able to continue driving because of the cost of personal liability insurance.

Drivers determined they needed such insurance after a patient’s family sued a volunteer van driver in Huntsville.

Council President Johnny Crutcher and the Mayor Dan Williams met with Seibert last month and came back with a tentative agreement on how to share costs.

Seibert said Janice Moore, Kidney Association president, had agreed to turn over ownership of the association’s van to the county, effective immediately.

Under the new arrangement, the county and city would appropriate the $20,000 to Athens-Limestone Hospital to take over transporting the patients.

Officials with the kidney association and interested residents expressed concerns last month that without drivers, the lives of many kidney dialysis patients were in danger since they must have treatment several times a week.

Commissioners promised then to help, but made it clear the project had to be administered through a health care agency.

“We wanted this because we wanted a fully trained medical person driving the van,” Seibert said. “As it turned out, we’ve now got that.”

Limestone County and the City of Athens have taken over operation of the kidney-dialysis van and will restart immediately transporting patients to and from the Kidney Dialysis Center.

That was the word Monday from Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert who said a trained medical person would be hired to drive the bus. He said the county is appropriating $20,000 a year toward the project and that is expected to be matched by the Athens City Council.

The city and council recently agreed to transport kidney-dialysis patients to the center. Last month, volunteer van drivers for the Athens-Limestone Kidney Association said they would not be able to continue driving because of the cost of personal liability insurance.

Drivers determined they needed such insurance after a patient’s family sued a volunteer van driver in Huntsville.

Council President Johnny Crutcher and the Mayor Dan Williams met with Seibert last month and came back with a tentative agreement on how to share costs.

Seibert said Janice Moore, Kidney Association president, had agreed to turn over ownership of the association’s van to the county, effective immediately.

Under the new arrangement, the county and city would appropriate the $20,000 to Athens-Limestone Hospital to take over transporting the patients.

Officials with the kidney association and interested residents expressed concerns last month that without drivers, the lives of many kidney dialysis patients were in danger since they must have treatment several times a week.

Commissioners promised then to help, but made it clear the project had to be administered through a health care agency.

“We wanted this because we wanted a fully trained medical person driving the van,” Seibert said. “As it turned out, we’ve now got that.”