Friday, September 19, 2014

Peoria County's New Nursing Home, Heddington Oaks Bigger Money Drag on Taxpayers Than Projected

Heddington Oaks, the new $53 million, 214 bed, Peoria County Nursing Home, opened in June last year with expectations from our then administrator and strong board supporters like Democrats Phil Salzer, Allan Mayer and Andrew Rand,  that it would be self-supporting. From as much information as I can gather with out filing a FOIA, it appears to be far from self-supporting. The old nursing home, BelWood, still standing empty, cost  Peoria County taxpayers over $3 million to operate. It is my understanding that a 30 year note was taken out by the county. Now these yearly note payments, along with the $3 million to fund operating costs, are not being covered by resident fees as projected.

Heddington Oaks is probably the most modern nursing home anywhere in the area. It serves a largely Medicaid population with a number of rooms designated for Alzheimer clients. Not a peep as to how this facility is doing financially from the JSEB who strongly supported this new facility. Maybe because a number of the clients do not come from Peoria County but from counties like Tazewell County where the JSEB main editor lives and Tazewell or no other county pays Peoria County any tax to support Heddington Oaks.

Interesting but sad as another "projection" has apparently missed it's target. As a reminder, Medicaid clients are also supported by other various taxpayer supported government funds. Read my many blogs on BelWood by entering BelWood on my upper left hand search bar. You will find the various reasons why I did not support this expensive facility.

1 comment:

ggigi said...

Please revisit this subject.
Poor decisions in planning have caused equipment failures and added costs which may have been avoided had the decisionmakers researched and/or listened to recommendations of those with knowledge.
Building out buildings rarely used with heated floors "recommended by a Board member", purchasing laundry equipment not suitable for the application gaving to be set at less than optimum levels and not plumbing softened water to the kitchen equipment causing expensive reoccuring equipment failure is just the crust .
How about the costs incurred for dialysis which is most likely still unoccupied or was at last check.