DARLINGTON - Lafayette County government is likely to have to sell the Lafayette Manor nursing home if voters there don't approve a referendum to provide additional funding.
That's what Finance Committee Chairman Dwayne Larson said Friday after his committee unanimously recommended such a vote. Friday's vote was the first step toward a referendum. The committee recommended the Lafayette County Nursing Home Committee request a referendum, which then would need to be approved for a ballot by the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors. Both groups are expected to make decisions next week.
The referendum the Finance Committee recommended Friday would ask voters to allow the county to exceed the tax levy rate by $500,000 for each of the next three years. A referendum vote would be Nov. 2, Larson said.
""We strongly believe that we'll have to sell the Manor if (the referendum) doesn't go through," Larson said. "It's better than even chances that we'll have to sell it."
The Lafayette County Nursing Home Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lafayette Manor, 719 E. Catherine St. in Darlington. A special Lafayette County Board meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the county board room in the Lafayette County Courthouse.
Larson said he expects the nursing home committee to recommend the referendum.
"I don't see them not supporting (the referendum)," Larson said.
Jed Gant, who is chairman of the nursing home committee, also is a member of the finance committee. He was not available for comment Friday. The Times also was unable to reach any of the other nursing home committee members, David Halloran, Robert Helm and Leon Wolfe.
Lafayette Manor Administrator Delores Rydberg estimated the nursing home will be about $158,000 over budget at the end of the year.
One reason for the deficit is a loss in funding, she said. The Manor faced the same problem as other county-owned nursing homes in the state. Another reason is a lower number of nursing home residents. The Manor can house up to 80 residents, she said. At last count, there were 68 residents.
In the past, the county was able to use general fund money to help pay for the nursing home. This year, the county saw an unexpected increase in its human services budget. Lafayette County Human Services expects to be about $795,000 over budget.
Larson said the increase was because three people from the county were taken into court-ordered emergency care in Madison at a cost of $367,000.
"We were required to pay for their care," he said. "We live in a world that's good at handing out mandates but not too good at handing out money to pay for them."
If money from the undesignated general reserves was used to make up the deficits for human services and the nursing home, it would nearly wipe out the almost $1.1 million fund.
The only option, Larson said, was to suggest a referendum.
"I wish we didn't have to do this, but what else can we do?" Larson said. "I think it's a moral issue to take care of our seniors."
Larson said Friday's decision was the most difficult decision he's made in his 20 years as a member of the finance committee.
"You can't shut down the rest of the county because of a couple of departments," he said. "We can't keep absorbing the losses."
In 2009, the county's levy was about $6 million. It's levy limit is expected to increase by 3 percent in 2010, which means an increase in the levy limit of about $180,000. The increase wouldn't cover the deficits for the nursing home and human services.
Rydberg said it will be difficult to educate the public about the need for the $500,000 tax levy increase before the November election, but it's something that will have to be done.
"We'll have to make it enough time," she said.
That's what Finance Committee Chairman Dwayne Larson said Friday after his committee unanimously recommended such a vote. Friday's vote was the first step toward a referendum. The committee recommended the Lafayette County Nursing Home Committee request a referendum, which then would need to be approved for a ballot by the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors. Both groups are expected to make decisions next week.
The referendum the Finance Committee recommended Friday would ask voters to allow the county to exceed the tax levy rate by $500,000 for each of the next three years. A referendum vote would be Nov. 2, Larson said.
""We strongly believe that we'll have to sell the Manor if (the referendum) doesn't go through," Larson said. "It's better than even chances that we'll have to sell it."
The Lafayette County Nursing Home Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lafayette Manor, 719 E. Catherine St. in Darlington. A special Lafayette County Board meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the county board room in the Lafayette County Courthouse.
Larson said he expects the nursing home committee to recommend the referendum.
"I don't see them not supporting (the referendum)," Larson said.
Jed Gant, who is chairman of the nursing home committee, also is a member of the finance committee. He was not available for comment Friday. The Times also was unable to reach any of the other nursing home committee members, David Halloran, Robert Helm and Leon Wolfe.
Lafayette Manor Administrator Delores Rydberg estimated the nursing home will be about $158,000 over budget at the end of the year.
One reason for the deficit is a loss in funding, she said. The Manor faced the same problem as other county-owned nursing homes in the state. Another reason is a lower number of nursing home residents. The Manor can house up to 80 residents, she said. At last count, there were 68 residents.
In the past, the county was able to use general fund money to help pay for the nursing home. This year, the county saw an unexpected increase in its human services budget. Lafayette County Human Services expects to be about $795,000 over budget.
Larson said the increase was because three people from the county were taken into court-ordered emergency care in Madison at a cost of $367,000.
"We were required to pay for their care," he said. "We live in a world that's good at handing out mandates but not too good at handing out money to pay for them."
If money from the undesignated general reserves was used to make up the deficits for human services and the nursing home, it would nearly wipe out the almost $1.1 million fund.
The only option, Larson said, was to suggest a referendum.
"I wish we didn't have to do this, but what else can we do?" Larson said. "I think it's a moral issue to take care of our seniors."
Larson said Friday's decision was the most difficult decision he's made in his 20 years as a member of the finance committee.
"You can't shut down the rest of the county because of a couple of departments," he said. "We can't keep absorbing the losses."
In 2009, the county's levy was about $6 million. It's levy limit is expected to increase by 3 percent in 2010, which means an increase in the levy limit of about $180,000. The increase wouldn't cover the deficits for the nursing home and human services.
Rydberg said it will be difficult to educate the public about the need for the $500,000 tax levy increase before the November election, but it's something that will have to be done.
"We'll have to make it enough time," she said.