Rock Island Today

Dispatch-Argus recently issued the following announcement.

A professional firm has been hired to conduct a cost benefit analysis of Hope Creek Care Center as a last-ditch effort to rescue the financially-strapped nursing home.

County board members on Tuesday narrowly approved hiring Management Performance Associates (MPA) of St. Louis at a cost of $29,000.

In a packed meeting of more than 50 Rock Island County residents, board members voted 13 to 10, with Lauren Boswell-Loftin, Cecilia O’Brien, Don Johnston, Dewayne Cremeens, Drue Mielke, Robert Reagan, Ron Oelke, Rich Morthland, Robert Westpfahl and Kenneth “Moose” Maranda opposing.

“We’ve hired companies numerous times to do studies,” O’Brien said. “Is the company the same company we hired before, and if that is true, did they do good work for us?”

County board chairman Richard Brunk said MPA was hired 10 years ago to manage Hope Creek.

“That did not work out,” Brunk said.

“Did we fire them?” O’Brien asked.

“Yes, it was a termination,” Brunk replied. “My understanding is that the firm and the board didn’t see eye-to-eye on what needed to be done. We are not seeking management services from them; we’re seeking data and market analysis information. It’s an entirely different scope of work.”

“Not knowing any details because I was not here at that time, I’m going to say that I have concerns,” O’Brien said. “I don’t know enough information.”

County Administrator Jim Snider recommended MPA to board members based on their success in turning nursing homes and hospitals around that are in financial trouble. He said MPA would begin their analysis at the end of February and take approximately three months to complete.

“If you look at their scope of work, they work very efficiently,” Snider said. “This is what they do. They run county (nursing) homes; they are the experts of county homes in Illinois. They will determine the marketability of our property and how it compares to others in the region.”

The county-owned nursing home, 4343 Kennedy Drive, East Moline, is $4.6 million in debt, according to Rock Island County Treasurer Louisa Ewert.

Ewert and Rock Island County Auditor April Palmer told board members at the Jan. 9 committee of whole meeting that after Hope Creek pays its June bond interest payment of $206,637, the facility will not have enough credit available to pay the December bond interest payment of $1.3 million.

“This is an opportunity to determine the viability of the home and if it is recoverable to be a viable asset in operation for the next 175 years,” Snider said. “That’s the reason I brought it to you as a consideration.”

Board member Rod Simmer said that although the county has solicited multiple reports over the years seeking advice, past county boards have not taken action after the results were in.

“I thing we’ve all been lax on this,” Simmer said. “I’ve been pushing to do something. I am going to support this one more time and try to get this done. This three-month (timeline) scares the heck out of me, Jim. That will take us to the end of May. We’ve got to have answers and they’ve got to do something quickly.

“We not only need that $4.6 million we are behind this year, but we’re going to have to catch up with some of these vendors, too. Unless somebody comes up with $6 million or $8 million, it looks like a steep hill to climb,” Simmer said. “I’ve been pushing for six years to do something with (Hope Creek.) No matter what, it’s all about the residents there. That is their home.”

Board vice-chair Mia Mayberry asked Snider what other options were available if the board voted down the proposal.

“The options are limited,” Snider said. “The finances speak for themselves. You have heard from the treasurer and auditor. We could either divest ourselves from it or see if there is an operator out there interested in managing it.”

Boswell-Loftin, who served on the board 10 years ago when the county first hired MPA, said her past experience with them was not good.

“They didn’t do what they were supposed to do, so they were fired,” Boswell-Loftin said. “I can’t support rehiring them again. It’s sad to me to see where Hope Creek is, but I think our money would be better spent.”

Original source can be found here.