Carroll County commissioners weigh Griffin Home staffing, agency costs and dining policies

At its Sept. 8 meeting, the Carroll County Commission heard extended public comment and an operations report on the county-run Griffin Home long-term care facility that focused on agency staffing costs, facility census and dining-room payment policy.

The discussion began during public comment when Fred Kane of Wolf Burrow said the county's use of outside staffing agencies has grown sharply. "We're spending $232,000 a month. At that rate, we're gonna be at 2,800,000," Kane said, adding that the county previously spent "15,000 a year" on the same category.

County leadership and the facility administrator responded that agency usage fluctuates with vacancies and seasonal staffing needs. The administrator said the home has added a second agency contract to augment the primary vendor and described recent staffing trends: "We were keeping a couple of the rooms over there empty because we have a resident that was was tough to put someone next to... I think it was a wise decision." The administrator said year-to-date…