HomeMy WebLinkAboutCounty Board 10-09-01 ST. CROIX COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Special Session
October 9, 2001 9:00 A.M.
CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Thomas Dorsey
INVOCATION: Supervisor Daryl Standafer
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
ROLL CALL
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS SESSION
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
DATE OF NEXT SESSION: County Board Budget Review October 30, 2001
9:00 A.M.
OLD AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
(Consideration and action on matters tabled, postponed or referred to a committee at a
previous meeting)
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Nursing Home Study Report
*2. 4 -H'ers Serving Ice Cream at 10:00 A.M. Break
CORRESPONDENCE
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
r Special County Board October 9, 2001
ST. CROIX COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Special Meeting October 9, 2001
Meeting called to order by Chair Dorsey at 9:00 a.m. Invocation
given by Supr. Daryl Standafer. Pledge of Allegiance recited.
Roll call: 29 present, 2 absent and excused - Suprs. Bieraugel
and Raymond.
Motion by Supr. King, 2 nd by Supr. Mortensen to approve the
September 18 minutes. Carried. Motion by Supr. O'Connell, 2 nd by
Supr. Krueger to adopt the agenda. Carried. Next meeting is
October 30 for 2002 budget review.
Nursing Home Study Report: Chair Dorsey announced this is the
only item on the agenda and no decisions will be made today. Mr.
Keefe will give his presentation, Board will take a break and
then reconvene for a question and discussion period. He
introduced Bob Stephens, Chair of Health and Human Services.
Stephens called on John Keefe and Sandy Hayes from Keefe and
Associates for their report.
Keefe thanked the Board for making time for a special meeting and
the Nursing Home Steering Committee members - Bob Stephens, Dick
King, Esther Wentz, Ralph Swenson and Stan Krueger for their
input during the study.
The following minutes are taken directly from Keefe's report in a
brief format. The complete report is on file and available from
the County Clerk's office.
The agenda today is review of County Home mission and current
long term care trends, identify strategic options and discuss
financial costs.
The Home started in 1897 as an Insane Asylum, was renamed County
Hospital or Poor Farm in early 1900's, in 1971 State ruled
residents could no longer hold jobs in the County Farm and in
1982 the current 129 -bed Nursing Home was built. The County
Holstein herd was sold in 1990.
The next decade will have no significant elderly growth (75+
years). Major growth will hit after 2018. The bed need is
decreasing, community alternatives are increasing and there are
chronic shortages in staffing which may require higher wages and
benefits to get workers.
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Special County Board October 9, 2001
Medical Assistance reimbursement is tightening, private pay
market is shrinking and consumers are demanding privacy, options
and space. Ten percent of nursing homes in WI are in bankruptcy,
80% have operating deficits, all but two county homes get
subsidies and due to budgetary fallout from the September 11
event, State and Federal aid will likely decrease.
There are no easy answers for St. Croix County and tough choices
have to be made. Priorities need to be set including minimizing
losses and maximizing pluses.
Keefe presented five options:
1. Status Quo - remain at 129 beds (minus banked beds);
census stable at 90.7; current building maintained, not
upgraded; revenues increase slower than expenses and
County contribution increases.
2. Closing /Selling Bed Licenses - close and convert some beds
to CIP (Community Integrated Program) slots or sell bed
licenses only. Both options have significant cost
implications. Requires re- location of all residents,
allows conversion of some bids to CIP with estimate of 9
of 92 residents CIP eligible. Some costs related to
closing would be decreased revenue from people leaving or
not entering the Home during the interim; paying bonuses
to keep staff until Home closes, payout of accrued
employee leave, accrued sick leave and unemployment
compensation, possible legal fees and court costs (30 to
35 current residents have a right to a hearing regarding
their placement. Total costs at closing estimated from a
low of $680,830 to high of $1,806,658. Continuing costs
after closing including resident support in the community,
building insurance, utilities and maintenance, building
repairs, and county charge backs total $297,572. This
does not include building disposition.
3A Downsize, Build New 72 bed facility - de- license 54 beds,
new site, all private rooms and bathrooms, specific unit for
dementia, more efficient. Minimizes MA losses, maximizes
Medicare admissions, continue to serve 3o to 35 protectively
placed residents, enhances private pay admissions, capital
costs estimated at $8.2 million and reduces County
contribution.
3B. Downsize, Build New 90 bed facility - de- license 36 beds,
same as 72 bed except there would be more Medicaid residents
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Special County Board October 9, 2001
whose subsidy does not cover daily costs, capital costs
estimated at $10.2 million, more staff needed and higher County
contribution than Status Quo and 72 bed facility.
4. Remodeling Existing Facility - downsize to 84 beds, address
facility design issues, provide dementia unit, $3.55 million
remodeling costs plus $858,000 for maintenance. Requires
more staff to operate, County contribution about same as 72
bed and less than Status Quo and 90 bed replacement and
still have an inefficient building.
County Cash Requirements from 2002 to 2009: Option 1: Status
Quo -$1.35 million increasing to $2.24; Option 3A - Replacement
with 72 beds - $1.35 million to $1.99; Option 3B - Replacement
with 90 beds - $1.35 million to $2.24; Option 4: Remodel with
84 beds - $1.35 million to $1.79. If Option 3A was implemented
and adjusted by a $3 million equity, possibly from sale of
County Farm Land, the range would be $1.35 million to $1.73
million.
Employee projections in 2005 are: Option 1 - 111.6 employees;
Option 3A - 80.32; Option 3B - 95.21 and Option 4 - 94.74.
Keefe said there are two basic decisions for the County Board:
Decision #1 - Do you stay in the Nursing Home Business? And
Decision #2 - If you stay in business, what do you do with the
Nursing Home? Re -build or re- model?
4 -H Ambassadors: 4 -H'ers Holly Stevens and Hannah Mason thanked
the Board for their support of 4 -H. They commented how 4 -H has
taught them leadership skills, public speaking ability,
parliamentary procedure and better communication skills.
During the break the 4 -H'ers and 4 -H Youth Agent Kim Reaman
served ice cream.
Before the meeting resumed, Supr. Grant presented an American
flag to Chair Dorsey in honor of his birthday on October 8.
The remainder of the meeting was devoted to questions and
comments from Supervisors.
Keefe explained the different pay ranges for Nursing Home
residents: Medicare, over age 65, income no factor, post
hospital discharge pays $313 per day; Medicaid, medical
assistance for low income people pays $100 a day and private
pay residents are charged $125.
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Special County Board October 9, 2001
The moratorium on sale of beds may be lifted by the State and
then there would be no value on sale of beds.
Stephens thanked Keefe and Ms. Hayes and said a decision would
be made at the County Board meeting on December 18 In answer
to a question on selling the home, Keefe said it was doubtful
if other private or nursing home chains would be interested in
purchasing the home.
Chair Dorsey thanked Keefe, Ms. Hayes and the Nursing Home
Committee for the work on this report.
Correction made at Oct. 30 meeting: Supr. Horne said this was
an excellent study but more information is needed on selling
the home and /or building. Perhaps DOVE or other private
companies would be interested.
Motion to adjourn by Supr. O'Connell, 2 nd by Supr. Berenschot.
Meeting adjourned at 12:20 p.m.
Thomas Dorsey, Chair Sue E. Nelson
St. Croix County Board of Supervisors County Clerk
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