LaSalle County’s Finance Committee reviewed a proposed $431,165 package of site improvements for the county nursing home and instructed staff to pare the list to essential, life‑safety and high‑priority items while moving a new vehicle purchase to its own line.

Cathy, the nursing‑home director, presented vendor quotes and estimates for site work: a boiler‑room floodgate ($6,500); a large kitchen fire door replacement ($20,800) and laundry door replacements ($10,100) because warped doors had caused alarm failures; exterior cameras (quote $54,000) and a front entrance ‘‘buzz‑in’’ secure entry ($25,000) endorsed by the sheriff’s office and the county’s liability insurer; water‑tower cleaning ($29,200); sidewalk repairs (maintenance estimate, $15,000); an all‑seasons sunroom renovation (architect estimate $108,900); a resident river‑view deck ($29,715); a replacement bus (quote $108,944); and a nurse‑call software update ($13,006.68). The total Cathy presented was $431,165.68.

Committee members said several items were mandatory for life safety and liability (water‑tower cleaning, floodgate, kitchen fire door, laundry doors, cameras, front‑entry buzz system and the nurse‑call update). Members recommended deferring resident‑comfort projects (the all‑seasons room and river‑view deck) and room‑repair contingency work to future budgets. Cathy confirmed some estimates were architect quotes and some were maintenance guesstimates.

Budget action: the committee directed staff to reduce the nursing‑home site improvement line to $160,000 and to create a separate vehicle/bus line for the bus quote (approximately $108,944). Members suggested beginning limited sidewalk work this fiscal year if weather and remaining funds permit, because the $15,000 figure would not require formal public bidding.

Levy and cash: Finance staff reported the nursing home’s cash on hand at roughly $3.0 million. The committee agreed in principle to keep the nursing‑home levy at the draft rate of 1.76 while using available cash for near‑term mandatory work and continuing to monitor operations and levy needs midyear.

Why it matters: the committee balanced life‑safety and liability upgrades against resident‑amenity projects and county levy targets. The separate bus line and the reduced site‑improvement total will be folded into the draft budget sent to the full county board.