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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-10-2012 Health & Human Services Minutes MINUTES HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES BOARD September 10, 2012 8:30 AM Public Health Conference Room-HHS 1445 North Fourth Street, New Richmond, Wisconsin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Tim Hood Supervisor Excused Fred Yoerg Supervisor Present Chris Kilber Supervisor Present Tom Hawksford Supervisor Present Roger Larson Vice Chair Present Fred Horne Chair Excused Leon Berenschot Board Member Present Lisa Ramsay Board Member Present Deb Rasmussen Board Member Present Others present included: Fred Johnson, Deb Suchla, Cindy Anderson, Tabatha Hansen, Robert Mittet, Tammy Funk, Heather Wolske, Pat Thompson, Malva Sirek, and Larry Lester. Please also see sign in sheet for meeting attendance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. August 20, 2012 5:00 PM The Vice Chair asked if there were any corrections to the minutes. The Vice Chair announced if there are no corrections to the minutes, they stand as distributed. RESULT: ACCEPTED PUBLIC COMMENT The following people spoke and/or submitted comment cards: Lee Kellaher in support of keeping the Nursing Home as it is important to take care of our own people. Ellen Ard in support of the Nursing Home and questioned 2010 plan tabled to implement an assisted living facility. Larry Salmon indicating the public voted to keep the Nursing Home open and it is your (the Board's) duty to vote with the public wishes. Kim Dupre read a letter from Richard (Buzz) Marzolf outlining that the referenda speak to keep the facility and supporting with County tax dollars. Suzanne Van Mele questioned the loss predicted for the Nursing Home as being less than calculated and compared St. Croix County to Dunn County for Nursing Home financial support. The will of the people who voted to keep the County Nursing Home needs to be represented. Gary Kittel spoke that St. Croix Health Center makes the residents/families feel part of a family. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Health and Human Services Board Recommendation to County Board Regarding the Future of the Health Center-Nursing Home: Financial Projections with Current Wage and Benefit Structure and Adjusted Wage and Benefit Structure; St. Croix Health Center Preliminary Analysis with New 50-Bed Facility; Cost Associated with Closing or Selling. Larry Lester from Wipfli spoke regarding the Nursing Home and reviewed power point highlights with three options for the future of the Nursing Home: status quo with expense reductions, close/sale option, replacement nursing home option. There are four new replacement facilities in St. Croix County and surrounding counties. Most of the new replacement facilities are near 100% occupancy within one year of opening. There are two additional potential new facilities slated for St. Croix County. Also, the Department of Health is proposing to offer property incentive opportunity; however, these incentives have to be budget neutral at the state level. More information on the Medicaid nursing home property incentive should be available after September 13, 2012. It is anticipated St. Croix Health Center will experience a decline in census with the opening of a new replacement nursing home in New Richmond and pending projects in Baldwin and Glenwood City. If the St. Croix Health Center remains status quo with expense reductions, it is assumed census will continue to decline and also assumed expense reductions in wages and benefits will be made. If a replacement nursing home is built, the County should consider applying for Medicaid Nursing Home Property Incentive. Quarterly applications are currently being accepted. The application will need to be submitted by December, 2012. There is no expiration if the incentive is approved. Construction of a new facility is separate from operations, wages and fringes. If the facility is closed, the County should consider applying for a phase-down incentive program agreement and closing the nursing home due to the unoccupied beds in the county and the aging facility. The length of the phase down would be negotiated with the State. If the facility was closed, some expenses would still exist such as utilities, maintenance, etc. If the facility is sold, there are two options to consider; selling the licenses and/or physical plant. The Board recessed from 10:05 to 10:15 AM. The 2013 projected Nursing Home budget was reviewed. The 2013 projected budget at 43 beds shows a loss of $765,778 and at 35 beds a loss of $1,122,330. The Board will need to decide what expenses will be allocated to the Nursing Home as this adjusts the amount of tax levy support. Hawksford requested Corporation Counsel to draft a resolution to close the Nursing Home and that a separate Health and Human Services meeting be scheduled to address the resolution before October 1, 2012. Berenschot questioned issuing a binding referendum in the fall. Discussion on a binding referendum was reviewed, but the time limit to address this in the fall has passed. Discussion on presenting all three options to the County Board for a decision was reviewed. Motion by Hawksford, seconded by Yoerg to request Corporation Counsel to draft a resolution to close the Nursing Home and to have a special meeting prior to the budget meeting to vote on the resolution. Roll call vote: Tim Hood Absent Fred Yoerg Yes Chris Kilber Yes Tom Hawksford Yes Roger Larson No Fred Horne Absent Leon Berenschot No Lisa Ramsay No Deb Rasmussen No Three yes, four no, motion failed. Motion by Yoerg, seconded by Berenschot to request Corporation Counsel to draft a resolution regarding the Nursing Home with three options: a) status quo with expense reductions, b) close/sell, or c) building new with a special meeting to be scheduled on September 20, 2012 at 8:30 AM. Tim Hood Absent Fred Yoerg Yes Chris Kilber Yes Tom Hawksford Yes Roger Larson Yes Fred Horne Absent Leon Berenschot Yes Lisa Ramsay Yes Deb Rasmussen Yes Seven yes, motion passed. RESULT: DISCUSSED 2. Financial Reports The financial report for July was reviewed. There are no Nursing Home carryover funds and depreciation expense was included in the report. Aging had some significant vehicle expenses so the report reflects Aging is a bit short of budget. RESULT: DISCUSSED ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN Jeff Middleton requested the Board to consider a presentation by Brian Schoeneck of LeadingAge Wisconsin be put on the agenda for September 20th. The meeting was adjourned at 11:09 am. DATE OF NEXT MEETING - SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 AT 8:30 AM