MONROE - Green County residents voted 3 to 1 in favor of exceeding the property tax levy limit by $890,000 a year for the next five years to keep Pleasant View Nursing Home running.
With a total of 4,830 votes from 24 precincts, 3,560 people, or 73.57 percent, of voters chose to allow the county to exceed the state tax levy limit of 5.48 percent for each of the next five years to fully fund Pleasant View; while 1,270 voted no to the referendum.
Property taxes for the owner of a home valued at $150,000 will pay about $50 more per year in property taxes.
"(The passage of the referendum) is going to make things a lot easier as far as services for the county departments and for the nursing home," said Harvey Mandel, Chairman of the Green County Board Finance and Accounting Committee. "Ultimately that was what the referendum was for, and I'm glad people saw it supported. Of course, we're not going to spend anymore than we have to."
The Finance and Accounting Committee meets at 7:30 p.m. tonight to prepare a budget to present to the County Board Oct. 20. The board votes on the budget Nov. 10.
The added funds will maintain the operation of the nursing home while keeping the other county departments operational, Green County Board Chairman Art Carter said.
"Some adjustment now need to be made," he said. "Past budgets have restricted necessary equipment that we'd like to replace."
Some equipment at the home has become outdated, and newer equipment, for example, bed lifts, are more user-friendly, he said.
"Newer equipment has easier operation and reduces injuries to our people there," Carter explained.
Herb Hanson, chairman of the Pleasant View Nursing Home Committee, said the vote made him "proud to live in Green County."
"The voters that did show up (to vote) recognized how important the facility is to the rehabilitative nature of Pleasant View," he said. "That's the message people are not getting. Nursing homes are not the nursing homes of our grandparents. They are skilled nursing facilities."
Peggy Siegenthaler, vice-president of AFSCME local union 1162 and a certified nursing assistant for 28 years at Pleasant View, was pleased with the voting results.
"The public saw that the investment in Pleasant View was worth it and voted yes for health care in Green County. We are especially happy for all the residents that live at Pleasant View. They've been very concerned about their future if the referendum had failed," she said.
About 125 people reside at Pleasant View.
"The employees and the county have more work to do," Siegenthaler said. "We can move forward to get Pleasant View finances in line, and Partners for Pleasant View would like to thank everyone who has supported us in anyway."
Restructuring at Pleasant View is already underway, which will increase capitalization of funds and decrease expenses, said Carter.
"It's not going to be easy and its not going to be over night," he added.
Pleasant View is interviewing people for several nursing positions, Mandel said. The openings come as a result of replacing some staff and because the needs of an aging population have grown, he explained.
Mandel said the nursing home had been using outside services which "cost a great deal of money."
"We're trying to turn that around and use the same money to fill those spaces," he said.
Pleasant View was expected to operate at a deficit of about $1.2 million this year. Last year, the gap was about $900,000. Rising staffing expenses and the withholding of Medicaid funding by the state government are the primary reasons for the deficit. The state withheld about $650,000 in Medicaid funding from the county for next year.
With a total of 4,830 votes from 24 precincts, 3,560 people, or 73.57 percent, of voters chose to allow the county to exceed the state tax levy limit of 5.48 percent for each of the next five years to fully fund Pleasant View; while 1,270 voted no to the referendum.
Property taxes for the owner of a home valued at $150,000 will pay about $50 more per year in property taxes.
"(The passage of the referendum) is going to make things a lot easier as far as services for the county departments and for the nursing home," said Harvey Mandel, Chairman of the Green County Board Finance and Accounting Committee. "Ultimately that was what the referendum was for, and I'm glad people saw it supported. Of course, we're not going to spend anymore than we have to."
The Finance and Accounting Committee meets at 7:30 p.m. tonight to prepare a budget to present to the County Board Oct. 20. The board votes on the budget Nov. 10.
The added funds will maintain the operation of the nursing home while keeping the other county departments operational, Green County Board Chairman Art Carter said.
"Some adjustment now need to be made," he said. "Past budgets have restricted necessary equipment that we'd like to replace."
Some equipment at the home has become outdated, and newer equipment, for example, bed lifts, are more user-friendly, he said.
"Newer equipment has easier operation and reduces injuries to our people there," Carter explained.
Herb Hanson, chairman of the Pleasant View Nursing Home Committee, said the vote made him "proud to live in Green County."
"The voters that did show up (to vote) recognized how important the facility is to the rehabilitative nature of Pleasant View," he said. "That's the message people are not getting. Nursing homes are not the nursing homes of our grandparents. They are skilled nursing facilities."
Peggy Siegenthaler, vice-president of AFSCME local union 1162 and a certified nursing assistant for 28 years at Pleasant View, was pleased with the voting results.
"The public saw that the investment in Pleasant View was worth it and voted yes for health care in Green County. We are especially happy for all the residents that live at Pleasant View. They've been very concerned about their future if the referendum had failed," she said.
About 125 people reside at Pleasant View.
"The employees and the county have more work to do," Siegenthaler said. "We can move forward to get Pleasant View finances in line, and Partners for Pleasant View would like to thank everyone who has supported us in anyway."
Restructuring at Pleasant View is already underway, which will increase capitalization of funds and decrease expenses, said Carter.
"It's not going to be easy and its not going to be over night," he added.
Pleasant View is interviewing people for several nursing positions, Mandel said. The openings come as a result of replacing some staff and because the needs of an aging population have grown, he explained.
Mandel said the nursing home had been using outside services which "cost a great deal of money."
"We're trying to turn that around and use the same money to fill those spaces," he said.
Pleasant View was expected to operate at a deficit of about $1.2 million this year. Last year, the gap was about $900,000. Rising staffing expenses and the withholding of Medicaid funding by the state government are the primary reasons for the deficit. The state withheld about $650,000 in Medicaid funding from the county for next year.