County board votes to apply for state funding

By MaryHelen Swanson
Gears are in motion to seek Minnesota Nursing Home Moratorium Exception funding to build a new nursing home replacing Green Acres Country Care Center in North Branch.
The Chisago County commissioners voted 4-1 at the Sept. 25 meeting to let the county apply for state grants after the board heard a summary from Steve Mork of reasons to move the nursing care center
Although Mork was not officially on the dayís agenda, he made a presentation. The application issue was on the county administratorís agenda noted as a memorandum.
During discussion, Commissioner Ben Montzka opposed the action saying he had too many questions including a concern over the small size of property being proposed for the new facility.
Morkís recap of reasons to relocate included issues over the changing market that says the growing segment of long-term care is in assisted living and independent senior housing.
He noted that assisted living, senior housing and even nursing homes are becoming a competitive business and that location is a significant marketing issue.
Mork reviewed the changes in types of care that are emerging in todayís market: subacute care, transitional care and hospice.
And he noted that the proposed Fairview medical clinic will be advantageous to the residents of the facility, but that the clinic would not be a part of a new facility constructed at the present Green Acres site.
Mork also pointed out that the new site is cost neutral, putting more land on the tax roles, by the sale of the current facility, than it would take off at the proposed 20-acres site on the west side of the freeway.
He also noted that it is necessary to sell the current Green Acres site to cover needed equity, about one-half of the requirement to build the new facility.
Pointing to concerns being expressed by some members of the public, that question the move to a new location, Mork reminded the commissioners that two different market studies in the past eight years show that a large number of respondents say they would prefer a location other than attached to the Green Acres facility.
And he reminded the board that expert opinions have been sought from textbooks to journals to marketing consultants and industry professionals.
He told the commissioners he could bring in a number of people to reiterate the information he had presented.
Reminding the board of the beginning of the current Green Acres facility as a ìpoor farm,î he stressed that the county is not dealing with a poor farm any more.
If the county doesnít move forward to seek the nursing home grant money from the state, Mork said he didnít know where the money would come from to rebuild the care facility on the current site.
Earlier this year it was decided that the cost to remodel and bring the current facility up to code was almost as much as building a new one.
The board was asked if there was a ìPlan Bî in the event it does not get the state funding.
The answer is no.
County Administrator Jim Thoreen said if the county was not accepted for the grant this year, the county would most likely reapply next year.
And if it doesnít happen then?
Potentially, came the word from the board table, the county could close the nursing home.
Mork is scheduled to appear at the county board meeting tonight, Oct. 2 along with the hired architect to review the basic plan designs for the proposed new long-term care facility.
In other business last week, the commissioners:
ï Heard a report from Chisago Lakes Animal Control on their work for the county. From April 15, 2002 to Aug. 31 there has been 129 animals impounded - 101 dogs and 28 cats.
Fifty-eight of the dogs were returned to owners and two cats.
Thirty-five dogs and 20 cats went to rescue organizations and three dogs and two cats were adopted out.
Kevin Martineau, animal control officer, noted that only five dogs and four cats had to be euthanized.
He also noted that Chisago Lakes Animal Control uses the services of at least three rescue facilities to aid in finding homes for stray animals.
St. Francis Animal Rescue took in the most animals.
ï During a Health and Human Services item, director David Sainio noted that a small group of people receiving benefits through the MFIP (welfare) program will be going off due to the 60-month limit.
However, he told the board that in 2004 there will be a larger group coming to the end of the five-year limit.
He said many are young women who essentially have fallen through the cracks most of their lives and probably could not function in high-paying jobs. In regards to a recent upswing in usage of the MFIP program, Sainio said it is partly due to an increase in population and partly to the economy.

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