From Saturday's News-Gazette:
The Champaign County Board could create an advisory board for its nursing home, under a plan championed by its administrator and county board Chairman C. Pius Weibel.
The board will vote on creating the board at its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Brookens Center, 1776 E. Washington St., U.
Nursing home administrator Andrew Buffenbarger and the county's co-administrator, Debra Busey, had earlier floated the idea of having a board and a consultant firm hired, which in turn would employ Buffenbarger.
That idea died in committee.
Under the new proposal, the board of directors would have seven members, two of whom would be county board members.
Discuss.
Did it ever occur to anyone that in a rational universe, town trustees could manage parks, schools, mosquitos, AND the occasional nursing home.
What you are witnessing in this advisory board is merely another example of the political class looking to expand its size and reach.
If the board can't handle a nursing home, maybe they shouldn't be in the nursing home business. Maybe if seniors weren't being bled dry from property taxes for municipal and education waste and fraud, they could afford more care, and the homes that they live in.
Doesn't anyone even question these schemes to grow government? A "consultant?!" Who is in on that gravy train?
"Did it ever occur to anyone that in a rational universe, town trustees could manage parks, schools, mosquitos, AND the occasional nursing home."
It should be fairly obvious to anyone who pays attention that the county board never operates in anything approaching a rational universe. Since when does government (especially one that operates in such an openly partisan manner) manage anything in an efficient manner?
Let's see, another committee who will presumably be paid for their time and efforts, who will need more money to seek solutions, but will not have any authority to make any decisions about staffing, expenses, repairs, hiring/firing, budget, etc, etc. Where can I sign up for that job? Money for doing nothing and making no decisions that can be blamed on the committee? How will they pick the committee members, and again, where can I sign up?
I highly doubt the board will get paid. School board members aren't paid. I don't believe that members of the county health board, mental health board, or developmental disabilities board are paid. I could be wrong, and maybe someone can tell us. I know for a fact that school board members are unpaid.
I don't like the idea, because I think the board will likely just come back and ask for more money. It will be filled with people who are "knowledgeable" on nursing homes, the elderly, etc. and all but certainly they'll ask for more money.
Outside of employees in the nursing homes in the county,,,,and a few health pros,,,,there are not more than a handful of people around here that even know anything about the nursing home business. Oh they can find some bean counters,,,,we have plenty of those laying around on shelves in the county,,,,but the pool of people that really know the business inside and out is pretty slim. Where are they going to draw this board from?
but the pool of people that really know the business inside and out is pretty slim. Where are they going to draw this board from?
So Bruce, you would rather have members of the county board, who know virtually nothing about the nursing home business, continue to mismanage the nursing home? The county board has proven it is incapable of removing political considerations (especially genuflecting to the unions) from its management of the nursing home. The current arrangement is clearly not working. Maybe it's time to examine another solution instead of sticking our heads in the sand.
Agreed,the county board knows little or nothing about running the nursing home,,,and if the local news paper was allowed to report everything it really knows, the public would be even more upset. But, again,,,where is the pool of qualified people going to come from? I dont know the answer to that. I do know I do not want another board like the one for MTD,,,that doe;s nothing but rubber stamp everything. Actually in my opinion selling the home to a private concern is the best option,,,,but the reality is that is not a political reality in Champaign County. In their hearts and minds,,,I would be willing to bet almost every county board member would love to sell the home and be done with it,,,,but the fallout could be great,,,why they worry about that I do not know,after all being a county board member ain't all that big a deal in real life terms,,,,,if 5,or 6,,or maybe even 10 lost a re-election bid,so what?
They need to get RID of the Administrator!
He is a liar! He is shifty! at the moment he's trying to railroad the food service Director, blaming her for the facility being over budget (When in FACT it's the THOUSANDS of dollars spent on Agency Nursing) because the Management can't keep staff! The Nursing Director, Assist Director will NOT stay over to help, they will NOT come in on weekends or days off! (what's a Manager for?) You can train a monkey to pick up a phone and dial an agency!
I have worked in MANY nursing homes and this is the ONLY one I have ever seen where the DON and ADON are not required to roll up there sleeves and help care for the Residents! What kind of message does that send to the staff?
"We aren't going to help you, but we will call complete strangers in to do the job"
Look at the other Nursing homes around the area! There management team WORKS THE FLOOR when needed! They are on call in a rotation to help frey the cost of overtime and agency!
They have CUT the food for Residents! there are times they don't even have bread! no fresh fruit! Most people are all about saving money, but NOT at the expense of the Residents!
The Food service Director has been there for over 3 years, she JUST received her FIRST evaluation, guess what...It wasn't good! She getting the blame for all the money being spent! (well, at least it's on the Residents) He has told others his plan to get rid of her! What a SHAME she's taking the blame for his INABILITY to Manage the Home and Budget!
This Tracy (Assist Administrator) whom has NO experience (she came from Activities) is NOW trying to run the kitchen! How did she qualify for her position???? She is soooo clueless, she's a MENACE!
Mark my words...Andrew will very soon be terminating the food service Director, he has made his plan CLEAR...
The Board needs to look into HIS position, he can NOT be trusted, he was going to JUMP SHIP to join a Management team he wanted to hire, WHAT DOES HE THINK HE IS? HE IS THE MANAGEMENT TEAM!!! the home has that kind of money??? TWO teams!! Get RID OF HIM!!!