More Golden Age Manor

Supervisor Neil Johnson has offered a Resolution for consideration at the November 12, 2008, Board Meeting calling for the "Golden Age Manor Board of Trustees (to) direct the Administrator to monitor and reduce the operation expenses for 2009 by $300,000." The proposed Resolution also directs the "...Board of Trustees (to) supply a detailed plan to the Polk County Finance Committee by December 10, 2008 and to the Polk County Board on the January 2009 monthly board meeting."
The Golden Age Manor Board of Trustees has legal responsibility and authority to make decisions concerning the Golden Age Manor and its operations. This proposed Resolution is yet another example of Supervisors attempting to micro-manage a department, except that, in this case, the Supervisor does not even serve on a committee that has authority over the operation of GAM. Supervisor Johnson's proposed Resolution would impact decisions already made by the Finance and Personnel Committees, not to mention the GAM Board.
Drastic cuts suggested by Supervisor Johnson would seriously undermine the level of care provided by GAM because a $300,000 operating budget cut would require an immediate termination of several employees as well as halting new admissions, thus jeopardizing future revenues. The facility's state license would be placed at risk due to the reduction in the quality of care necessitated by this drastic cut in the operating budget.
Supervisor Johnson might stop to consider that in the purchase agreement "negotiated" last year, Polk County promised to turn over a financially sound and operating nursing home at the closing. Supervisor Johnson, as a member of the Finance Committee at that time, certainly must be aware of the promises made to the buyers. Furthermore, if the legal challenge to the sale is successful and the sale does not go through, Supervisor Johnson's ill-advised Resolution would run the business into the ground, ensuring closure of Golden Age Manor. Is this the real purpose of the Resolution?
This constant harping at Golden Age management is really getting out of hand. A few Supervisors (along with the Finance Director, Tanya Weinert) appear to be obsessed with the idea of either selling or closing down the Golden Age Manor. Hardly a month passes without some measure being offered that imposes an unrealistic budget or personnel cut for the facility. How the employees and residents of this fine nursing home facility tolerate this distrustful and divisive behavior on the part of the County Board and Ms. Weinert is beyond me.
Our county Finance Director, Tanya Weinert, needs to remember that, as a county employee, she is not to take positions for or against policy initiatives such as the sale of Golden Age. The Polk County Board hired Ms. Weinert to provide accurate financial information to the Board so that the Supervisors, who are elected by the citizens of Polk County, are equipped to make these decisions. She needs to focus on her job duties and stay out of the policy argument. If Ms. Weinert wants to participate on that level, she should run for County Board.
On a related note, St. Croix County voters sent a message to their elected officials earlier this week regarding their county-operated nursing home. A non-binding referendum calling for the use of tax dollars to fund budget shortfalls in St. Croix County's county-operated nursing home passed 65% to 35%. Do the people of Polk County care less than the people of St. Croix County for their elderly citizens? I, for one, doubt that. Rather, I think that there are a few Supervisors in Polk County who are not truly representing the views of their constituents when they push for the demise of our County nursing home.