The Jefferson County Commission Thursday morning approved an agreement that would allow a University of Alabama at Birmingham-led health authority to take over services at Cooper Green Mercy Medical Services.

The agreement passed 3-2 with commissioners LaShunda Scales and Sheila Tyson voting “no.”

“This is a great day for the indigent in Jefferson County. They will receive state of the art care from UAB,” said commission President Jimmie Stephens after the meeting.

During the meeting, Scales and county attorney Theo Lawson said the county could remain the payroll agent for Cooper Green workers. This would mean those workers could keep their county pensions and time put in the county’s pension system even after UAB takes over.

Scales asked for that information to appear in writing in the agreement before it was passed today, but Lawson said that could be worked out during the due diligence period.

Scales, on the other hand, called the passing of the agreement a “bad day for patients of Cooper Green and for Cooper Green employees. She again repeated her concerns about securing employee pensions during the due diligence period.

“The work has just begun. I will fight even harder to make sure changes are made [regarding pensions]. I will make sure what’s right is done for workers and patients,” Tyson said.

Now, the new seven-member UAB health authority board will be established. Four members will be chosen by UAB and three by the commission. No elected officials, including commissioners, would be allowed to sit on the board.