Nursing home sale raises questions
By MIKE CORN
WaKEENEY -- Lutheran Nursing home employees, residents and their spouses made an impassioned plea for the Trego County Commission to change course on its decision to sell the facility to an out-of-state operator.
It was an emotional plea for many of the 21 people who showed up in commission chambers Monday, but it was one that likely will be too late in coming.
The only hope for a change could be a glitch in the process -- an apparent improper closed-door meeting under the state's Open Meetings Act -- coupled with the fact no paperwork has been signed for either the purchase or resulting sale of the financially-troubled facility.
Whether that will be enough to change the outcome of a series of discussions involving the future of the facility is uncertain.
People attending painted a troubled future for the nursing home if Utah-based Deseret Health Group ends up purchasing it.
Many told of how quality of care likely would decline as Deseret squeezes as much profit as possible out of the home. They also painted Deseret as a troubled company with care and financial issues.
"Deseret is looking at profit," Lutheran administrator Sandy Cline told commissioners. "Right now, we look at care."
Cline urged commissioners to put the issue of owning the nursing home to a vote.
"If a bond issued failed, then what?" Commissioner Dean Papes asked.
Most likely, he answered, the bond trustee -- Peoples Bank in Pratt -- would foreclose, and the facility would be closed.
"If we go to our very last option right out of the box and it fails, we're done," Papes said. "It's not the best scenario, I agree with that. I'm probably the one on the board with the most reservations."
But he said he's also concerned about going to taxpayers, asking for a $500,000 bond issue and a 10-mill increase to support the facility.
Cline said she would like to see the issue go before taxpayers, even if they end up nixing the idea.
During the course of the hour-long emotion-filled meeting, one resident said she likely would find another facility if Deseret takes over. The wife of one resident told of the care her husband receives now and how it would be hard on him to move.
Employees also told of how they wouldn't want to work for the company, or how their jobs could be in jeopardy.
Commissioners said they had been told no jobs would be cut, but admitted they would have no control once the sale was completed.
The people attending also chided commissioners for taking action without input from residents.
"I wouldn't elect you again," one woman said. "Ever."
As it stands now, Trego County is scheduled to purchase the nursing home from the bond trustee, after the facility apparently defaulted on a series of bonds that it had been issued.
Purchase price is $250,000.
In tandem with that purchase, Trego County has agreed to immediately sell the facility to Deseret Health Group, based in Utah.
Deseret operates 10 skilled nursing facilities in Kansas -- including facilities in Colby, Smith Center and Kensington -- and one assisted living facility in Ohio.
Deseret has agreed to purchase the WaKeeney Lutheran Home from Trego County for $300,000.
"We don't have a signed contract yet," Trego County Attorney Dave Harding said.
The agreement is contingent upon Deseret being able to obtain financing for the purchase.
Deseret had offered to purchase the nursing home from the bond trustee for $350,000, but wanted to pay $75,000 down and pay off the rest during two years.
The group's agreement with Trego County would require payment in full.
"We'll have to get the money first," Trego County Clerk Lori Augustine said of the process, noting the county doesn't have the cash on hand to make the purchase and then complete the sale to Deseret.
"We haven't put any time limits on it," Harding said of the transaction. "But I think they're feeling a sense of urgency."
Likely, he said, the purchase and sale could be completed during the next 60 days.
Trego County Commissioner Lanny Fabrizius said he's unlikely to change his mind about the process.
"I understand where they're coming from," he said, adding he sympathizes with them. "But the people I talked to said leave the nursing home business to the professionals."
"We think we've done everything we can in the best interests of the county," Commission Chairman Herb Swartzkopf said.
Papes might be the lone holdout.
"It's raised more questions for me," he said.
He also said the county might want to include a right-of-first-refusal clause in the sale agreement with Deseret.
