Stephenson County nursing home committee reviews operations, hears public pleas to keep facility open and enters executive session

The Stephenson County Nursing Home Committee reviewed operational, staffing and financial reports for the Stephenson County Nursing Center, heard public commenters urging the county to retain the facility or contract with a management company, approved routine claims and then moved into an executive session to discuss an employment matter.

Public commenter Ed Klein told the committee that the county “lacks the financial and management capacity to continue operating the home in its current model” and urged the board to solicit proposals from qualified long-term-care operators. Klein said management companies had offered proposals “to take all of the liability away from this county to manage it” while leaving facility ownership with the county. A second commenter questioned public statements about a $1.5 million valuation, warned that any sale or closure requires state approval, and said the prospective buyer may not be qualified.

The committee approved the night’s agenda and the meeting minutes from June 13 by voice vote. Members then moved to approve claims described during the meeting as totaling $249,915.25; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The business office manager later noted the July claims batch brought to the treasurer’s office on June 27 was listed in a document as $249,594.25 and said the state Medicaid rate displayed on the state website had not yet been updated.

Staff reported that the facility census at the start of July was 47 residents (the June average was 46), with six admissions and five discharges in June. The payer mix cited included traditional Medicare, Medicare pending, Medicaid managed and one private-pay hospice. The business office manager said 11 resident cases were pending Medicaid determinations or redeterminations, and staff continue to work with families and the state on approvals.

Human resources staff reported multiple open positions across shifts, including CNAs (overnight and day shifts), LPN/RN openings, and a receptionist opening; the manager said 17 applications had been received recently with two hires in June and several applicants who did not respond or who did not show for interviews.

Facility maintenance reported routine inspections and tests — monthly fire-extinguisher and exit-sign inspections, a monthly generator load test, a second-quarter sprinkler inspection by SJ Carlson — and said no deficiencies were found. Staff described a brief power outage during stormy weather that caused no service interruptions; during generator testing an amp breaker tripped when transferring back to ComEd service and required troubleshooting.

The committee also reviewed an accounts-receivable (AR) cleanup matrix and progress report covering January 2024 through late 2024 and noted remaining portal access issues (IntraMed and a health-department portal) needed to complete some follow-up work. Board members asked staff to follow up on a $2,879.08 (credit-balance) line item flagged in the AR report.

After the reports and public comment, the committee voted to go into executive session to discuss an employment matter under the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2). The motion to enter executive session was moved by Mister Raley, seconded, and passed on a roll call recorded as Raley “Yes,” Bush “Aye,” Jackie “Aye,” Hadley “Yes” and Baker “Aye.”

No formal decisions about facility ownership, sale, or contract awards were recorded in the public portion of the meeting; speakers repeatedly noted that any sale or closure of the facility would require state approval.