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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNorthern Lights Special Study Committee - Minutes - 8/21/20231 DRAFT Minutes of the Northern Lights / Bayfield County Special Study Committee Meeting 1:30pm, August 21, 2023 Meeting was held Remotely through Microsoft Teams and in person in the Bayfield County Emergency Operations Center, Washburn, WI Members Present: Jeff Silbert, Mark Ehlers, Mary Dougherty (arrived late), Ellen Avol-Law Members Excused: Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison-County Administrator, Paige Terry-Clerk III, Carrie Linder-Bayfield County Human Services Aging & Disability Services Manager, Kellie Pederson-UW Extension Community Development Educator, Kim Mattson-Bayfield County Accountant, Michelle Stouffer-Acting Northern Lights Administrator, Rene Eastman-Vice President of Financial and Regulatory Services for Leading Age Wisconsin Called to order at 1:31 p.m. by Committee Vice-Chair, Mark Ehlers Introductions: Introductions were made. Reading of Purpose Statement: Ehlers read the purpose statement to the board. Minutes from August 10, 2023: Motion by Silbert, seconded by Avol-Law to approve the minutes for the August 10, 2023 Northern Lights / Bayfield County Special Study Committee Meeting. Motion carried. Public Comment: Ehlers stated that he had a meeting with Stouffer to have a budget approved by the Northern Lights Board before the committee meeting, but the budget was not drafted in time. Ehlers reviewed the draft budget with the committee. There is an estimated loss of $331,000 that does not include principal payments to the county. Ehlers explained that the deficit would be closer to $100,000 if Northern Lights would not be required to make the lease payments to the county. Silbert asked if the budget included the new Medicaid rates. Ehlers replied that it included an estimate, but the final rates have not yet been disclosed. Discussion took place regarding payee/er sources. 1:35 p.m. – Mary Dougherty joined the meeting. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Finalizing the Special Study Committee Report to the Bayfield County Board to be presented on August 29, 2023: Pederson informed the committee that she and Abeles-Allison were informed by Wipfli that making the transition to have Bayfield County hold the licenses for Northern Lights would likely not fix the financial challenges that the facility is changing and Wipfli was under the impression that challenges are more likely due to operations and management. Pederson continued, stating that it is difficult to gauge the situation without seeing a budget and no benchmarks in place. 2 Pederson reported that she and Abeles-Allison also had a conversation with Health Dimension, a management firm experienced with managing nursing home. Health Dimensions offers three tiers of services; an assessment of the facility, wrap-around services which includes an assessment and contract for implementation, and a full management contract. Ehlers commented on the need for assisted living in the county and questioned if Health Dimensions would be able to help with that situation. Pederson reviewed how Health Dimensions may be able to assist Northern Lights through their management services. The first tier of service would cost approximately $40,000. The committee discussed the importance of having an expert assessment/analysis of the facility from a third part. Dougherty stated she felt it was important to have an expert assessment/analysis of the facility from an agency experienced with running nursing homes and also stressed the importance of stressing the loyalty to facility staff to the agency. The committee agreed that an expert analysis would be beneficial to the facility. Pederson discussed the importance of benchmarking within the facility. Dougherty asked how the committee felt about the county investing in the management assessment of Northern Lights. The committee agreed to move forward with obtaining the assessment and asking Bayfield County to cover costs of the assessment. The committee reviewed the final report and made the following recommendation suggestions: 1. The Northern Lights / Bayfield County Special Study Committee recommends moving ahead with a facility assessment at a cost of up to $40k paid by Bayfield County. The committee shall reconvene and evaluate and establish benchmarks based on the analysis. Northern Lights commits to follow through with recommendations and recommended benchmarks. 2. Bayfield County will waive the lease payment of $20,000/$240,000 per year in 2024. 3. Allocate up to $100,000 in additional funds on an as needed basis. 4. Allocate funding for wrap around consulting services. 5. Bayfield County budgets $300,000 in funds for deferred maintenance for the facility. After extensive discussion, Dougherty asked that Abeles-Allison and Pederson work to draft a final report by August 22, 2023, based on the comments from the meeting and have it ready present to the Northern Lights Board by August 23, 2023. Afterwards, Dougherty asked that Abeles-Allison and Pederson work to incorporate any comments received by the Northern Lights Board in preparation to be presented to the full County Board on August 29, 2023. Pederson suggested reaching out to Health Dimension to get a quote on the second-tier wrap-around services package as well as a list of what the services will include to incorporate in the final report. Reports: a) Capital Projects: The committee reviewed the capital improvement listing. b) Parking Lot: The committee reviewed the parking lot pavement analysis. Costs are estimated at $100,000. c) Roof: Abeles-Allison reported that the final estimate for roof repairs was not yet received. Meeting adjourned at 3:21 p.m. -Respectfully submitted by Paige Terry.