[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6195875,"mediaKeyId","3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31","parentId",3858999,"title","County officials warn nursing center finances 'dire'; LOI for sale to be discussed at full board","audioSeconds",859,"startMs",2666000,"endMs",3525000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31&start=2666&end=3525","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31/thumbnail_2666000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6195875/Stephenson-County/Illinois/County-officials-warn-nursing-center-finances-dire-LOI-for-sale-to-be-discussed-at-full-board","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6195875-c473ccf6fb94c0126807426c0a46b8cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201913&Signature=I1agoXUQ6z9-gMUiNBbIByzC8Z40yeh-TFCUbWLua3WCRlxz7Ty658V~bSwBqS2WADFrSsQzOxiFXgxleFZYhkWwuevhqUxXcS0Z5WOnpPZPnkk3uX8plHzTqnR6mwmDFQankhZWjgoSuZMnbCNU~NGaPElAn6PS07g4jiKovPTh-0P5jl-rTxmc9TNXfqiAKt~SQT5JG7M32ENeN97Wqzf-2Iih1LrlHKpUzUIoSu6ggH1ZpB-fg~PigWjjTzDbvFImTWT8sKSE~~Uv6QmcEdHD11oOuMy00x9wdbgHyryZiNn8qDEV6l5nU~Bw8CgOdCDUsRJ38IbbfeI1jcN8HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Stephenson County, IL","date","2025-06-18T12:28:53.85Z","article","Davidson County finance committee members said the county-owned nursing center is facing an urgent cash shortfall and vendor pressure, and asked board members to review a pending letter of intent (LOI) before the full county board meets Wednesday.

Committee members warned the facility is at risk of losing essential services if vendors stop work. “It’s about as dire as it possibly gets,” said a County board member who spoke during the finance committee meeting. The committee reported $327,616 in accounts receivable recommended to be written off and said several vendors have threatened to discontinue service or take legal action.

The status of key vendors and payroll was a central focus. The committee reported unpaid balances including $331,000 past due for current food service, $242,000 to a staffing agency (Employer Solutions), $207,000 to Ethical Nurse Staffing, $192,000 to the Stevenson County Liability Fund and $160,000 to the Stevenson County Social Security Fund. The committee said Matrix (a billing vendor) has $107,000 outstanding and that Matrix’s accounts-receivable cleanup work is complete, but Matrix had not been paid for 2025 as of the meeting.

Members said the county currently had roughly $28,000 in excess cash but faced a roughly $30,000 gap to meet payroll in about a week; they expected some deposits before payroll is due but said those would likely not cover major outstanding vendor balances. One committee member said if food service pulls out and no replacement can be found quickly, “we’re gonna have to move residents,” noting food service is critical and replacement providers may be hard to secure on short notice.

The committee urged members to review an LOI from a prospective buyer and asked that edits or recommendations be brought to the board meeting. The prospective buyer presented at a prior meeting and, according to committee remarks, told the county their intent is to retain employees and operate the facility; committee members called the prospective buyers experienced and “very professional,” but noted that a sale would shift operational control to the buyer.

Committee members discussed the practical effects of a sale. One member said selling the facility and removing it from the county’s books could significantly cut the county’s insurance premiums and liabilities; another noted selling could enable more immediate debt resolution and limit further county exposure. The committee did not adopt a formal sale at the meeting; the LOI will be forwarded to the full county board for consideration Wednesday.

Background material shared with committee members included a matrix billing report that recommended $327,616 be written off as uncollectible. Committee members asked fellow board members to review the treasurer’s email thread and the matrix report before Wednesday’s meeting.

The committee did not take a final public vote on sale terms during the finance meeting and did not approve write-offs at this session; those decisions remain with the full county board or are subject to future formal actions.

Affecting parties and immediate next steps include nursing center residents and staff, the county treasurer’s office, and multiple vendors that have outstanding invoices. The LOI and any motion to approve or reject sale terms will be on the county board agenda Wednesday.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Stephenson County IL Finance Committee Meeting 6/16/25","oneSentenceSummary","Davidson County finance committee members said the county-owned nursing center is facing an urgent cash shortfall and vendor pressure, and asked board members to review a pending letter of intent (LOI) before the full county board meets Wednesday.","taxTitle","Stephenson County, Illinois","taxId",64464,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6195860,"Finance director explains state 'multiplier' after residents and board members report confusing tax bills",262,1438000,1700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31&start=1438&end=1700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31/thumbnail_1438000.jpg","/articles/6195860/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Finance-director-explains-state-multiplier-after-residents-and-board-members-report-confusing-tax-bills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6195860-2b5a15030e779ac9122462913e369184/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201913&Signature=VSrh~LDUHg2RERXW9QkWp2WfiMDgVest2bl7HHm~Ouy2OxKzDg7yaOqkarUDBpzBdG8UcJfbigiFVkXGeWQ9sCgKrS84vZBrJ84JqHt-WwZ0XdfO7owzAfivCFVWqPPgVMHmub21xqtkEgtnItjQQqhAttGeTlwN-DvbMlndGxp9mlruLgzIkrvHt6umujK1FyelhG0twyGOgu89O9cGJxq4Ls~xpOoIhRGHkyeQGQf7xQ0V9z-nnzKphfDK3vy3K8kUJBW140HFsqrySsY9StYQEt0JMBjBSIuAsYRvcizRwngqrPxh3Mg~oj0ajj-xGSJMIYKO4NYSyj7KbNpGtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Davidson County officials walked the finance committee through how the state multiplier affects property tax bills after several members and residents reported confusing increases.

The finance director said the county provides levy requests in November, and the county clerk compiles requests from all taxing districts. If the state determines assessed values are below required levels (the meeting referenced the typical 33 1/3 percent standard), the state applies a multiplier so the taxing districts receive the dollar amount they requested. The finance director emphasized the multiplier changes assessed values used on tax bills while the taxing districts still receive the levy amounts they requested.

“I'm not gonna get some big tax dollar windfall this year,” the finance director said, adding the county expected to receive roughly $700 more than requested after state adjustments but that the state multiplier does not create new revenue beyond the levies submitted by taxing districts.

Board members and others said the computation is hard for property owners to follow. “It’s too darn complicated,” one board member said, adding that most property owners will not be able to work through the math on their own. Another attendee said some residents reported tax increases of several percent and that the county should explain the multiplier and show how levy changes and multipliers interact with tax rates.

Committee members discussed options to push back on levies or to pursue consolidation or outsourcing of statutorily required services to reduce county costs. The finance director said many county services (public safety, road maintenance, health department, animal control and court-related offices) are statutorily required and that payroll is the county’s largest expense.

No formal action was taken at the finance committee meeting on the multiplier itself; the discussion was informational and intended to help board members answer constituent questions about their tax bills.","The committee discussed the state multiplier applied when assessed values deviate from levels required by the state; officials emphasized the multiplier adjusts assessed values and tax rates so taxing districts receive requested levy amounts, and several board members said the resulting tax bills are confusing to property owners",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6195866,"Finance committee approves FY2026 budget policy; 4% COLA set, finance director to quantify payroll impact",363,2194000,2557000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31&start=2194&end=2557","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31/thumbnail_2194000.jpg","/articles/6195866/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Finance-committee-approves-FY2026-budget-policy-4-COLA-set-finance-director-to-quantify-payroll-impact","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6195866-388224e354e91133b6cce90bd796e5a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201913&Signature=eTifWFrH3AoKeWRXpdo7NGRkbPsin1YEoMToOvM0lEbzMZ20WObN9gYOe9KC4g8mN6eSKsv8j3Y7MYCF4Wxt9aILalxKNtI1ExF8Up7Q~fo1DQ1lyG5qPzIhfsTzR7tqJvtWZQL6gzVMwtxwlx8rwyt6yy~P904BlChSlAM02LLR0KwcZ7BUc95CbXemiT5fh3S3WIWQZxaS2DkV~9zqykKKsysh-knAlaLUKwQEcI4yVpXJCAqY7D4LrU~kZtAdw-jf8YCWQt0REF0ar~zQ9Qi2KZWlgSBzAJ-iQpQR-O9rlN3WMaIYD3IM4BJeB6bgiJ0LEFhL1SZGrr~ufVRmXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Davidson County finance committee approved the fiscal year 2026 administrative budget policy and affirmed a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) guideline for employees, and asked the finance director to estimate the payroll cost impact including IMRF and Social Security contributions by next month.

The committee’s motion to approve the budget policy passed after discussion about how personnel requests should be handled during the budget process. The policy changes require department heads to provide two scenarios for personnel requests — one with the requested increase and one without — and to calculate IMRF and Social Security costs for any requested increases.

A committee member asked for a calculation of the total payroll impact from the 4% COLA plus employer-side IMRF and Social Security costs. The finance director said she could provide a rough estimate and committed to deliver department-level payroll calculations for the committee by the next meeting. “I can do that by next month,” she said.

Discussion also touched on the general fund’s complexity and the timing of revenue estimates, with the finance director explaining that tax and revenue timing (including real-estate levy timing) means revenue estimates are finalized later in the budget process and some levies can be adjusted to meet general-fund needs.

The motion carried with the committee approving the budget-policy document as presented. The policy clarified distribution timing for budget materials and added the personnel-request scenario requirement to improve transparency in departmental requests.","Davidson County’s finance committee approved the county’s fiscal year 2026 budget policy, including a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) guideline; the finance director will calculate the expected payroll cost increase, including IMRF and Social Security, and report back next month",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6195871,"County health insurance fund running $3.1M deficit; benefits consultant urges continued plan changes",384,204000,588000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31&start=204&end=588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3858999-73566845cc2c2fbd5e7a685a917acd31/thumbnail_204000.jpg","/articles/6195871/Stephenson-County/Illinois/County-health-insurance-fund-running-31M-deficit-benefits-consultant-urges-continued-plan-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6195871-1c10e4b3567e949cdeea5386f7425cf1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201913&Signature=bsnHIPso1tnWaKTZ8xQ6bdYa6x9CA-YjrnZq2ymrAfsFnZlkeSV~UrbBbJ0ZPQi9xzyXDsSOg774B772MiYNbmEktOH-ak8IZrREhvTW0mZ3VGxALcTfocUuBo7ah0Eq4QWXxldRSKOKxq8MPexUXoR-~3NR8VAPLCbEirK68zNWIZAYQqUXWVPLZbOGzWYbBzH1-FNPsXiebdjKeCkZ76edS2u-RJK4eXbptgj2uVDc9IbDQS1-vQDxpYoXnoEFELFGXeoALAvy3Mo1Ge6hWf5Ednq6zrMe-t2iZWPkbwg9vb38WElOkwqBzdPv1RvkmrjIpM0TZvOQaFocPbxxqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carrie, a benefits consultant to the county, told the Davidson County finance committee the county’s employee health plans are running a year-to-date deficit of about $3.1 million through April and recommended continuing modest deductible increases and member engagement to reduce costs.

“Premium is paid on the left, claims paid on the right,” Carrie told the committee while reviewing a packet distributed before the meeting; the packet showed a deficit “about $3,100,000, almost 3.2.” She said the county’s plan designs include a $1,000 PPO, a $2,500 PPO and two HSA plans, and that average membership is about 425 lives.

Carrie recommended continuing to shift toward higher deductibles and using member-facing tools — telemedicine, pricing apps and wellness screenings — to reduce use of higher-cost services. She cautioned the committee that two major drivers of near-term cost increases are newer weight-loss drugs (discussed in the meeting as “GLP-1s”) and other high-cost specialty pharmaceuticals.

On property/casualty insurance, Carrie summarized loss-control activity by the county’s carrier and said the carrier’s representative, Mark Bell, and team performed about 43 visits to county facilities in the prior 6–7 months; those visits included the sheriff’s department, facilities maintenance and the nursing home. County staff said a recent property walk-through identified one or two county assets omitted from the schedule and that adjustments would have minimal fiscal impact.

Committee members asked how the county’s experience compared with other groups; Carrie said Davidson County’s trends were “pretty average” for fully insured groups but cautioned that population age and chronic conditions materially affect loss ratios and claims trends.

The committee did not take a formal vote on benefit design changes at the meeting; Carrie said she would provide any follow-up data if requested and that the county has been gradually increasing employee deductibles over several years.

Committee members asked questions about the potential insurance impact of a sale of the county nursing home; Carrie said removing the nursing center from county ownership would “cut your insurance premiums by a lot,” though she did not present a formal estimate at the meeting and said she would follow up with more precise figures if requested.

The finance committee also received a report that the county’s wellness screening program had recently run screenings and that the benefit team recommends continuing such programs to increase engagement.","Benefits consultant Carrie told the finance committee the county’s self-insured health plans show a year-to-date deficit of roughly $3.1 million through April and outlined plan design changes and member engagement as mitigation measures","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County officials warn nursing center finances 'dire'; LOI for sale to be discussed at full board

Finance director explains state 'multiplier' after residents and board members report confusing tax bills

Finance committee approves FY2026 budget policy; 4% COLA set, finance director to quantify payroll impact

County health insurance fund running $3.1M deficit; benefits consultant urges continued plan changes