Are Waupaca County taxpayers aware that some of our County Board members want to spend $1.3 million to renovate a business that has lost money for years, and are projecting to lose another $450,000 increasing to $800,00 yearly in four years according to the business’s own projections.
A resolution was passed without most of the public knowing what was going on. Any private company losing that kind of money would have gone out of business years ago. A taxpayer-supported business should not compete with tax paying businesses throughout the county.
I admit I have not been paying attention to where my county tax money goes, but this sure caught my attention. The board passed the resolution asking taxpayers to shell out money to renovate Lakeview Manor, citing statements from county employees that “no other nursing homes can take the residents that they do.”
There are seven other nursing homes in Waupaca County and 10 Assisted Living/CBRF’s. Lakeview Manor has no special licensing that allows them to admit anyone the other homes do not.
The Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Mental Retardation licensing they had and the locked units were given up five years ago. That population was moved at that time to other facilities for care.
We, as residents of Waupaca County, could collectively pull together and find appropriate placement for the current residents at Lakeview within county boundaries.
Is our tax money appropriate to spend this way? I believe that by invoking the “suspend the rules” vote at the November meeting, a vote was called for before the board members were sufficiently educated on the alternatives to make an educated vote. The vote on this issue is due in March. Please call or write your County Board supervisor and let him/her know that you have concerns and think they need to look at this issue more closely before passing it. Let them know we have a voice and want to be heard. They are elected to serve us, they need to know how we feel.
You can communicate with your board members by writing to them care of Mary Robbins, Waupaca County Clerk, 811 Harding St, Waupaca, WI 54981 and asking her to address it with all the board Members for consideration.
Susie Borchardt, RN
Fremont