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Residents and supervisors press Winnebago County over Parkview elevator safety; board approves private-pay increase and staff support
Summary
Residents at Parkview Health Center told supervisors the facility's main elevator has been intermittently inoperable, limiting residents' access to services and funerals. Supervisors and facilities staff discussed repairs, replacement feasibility and evacuation planning. During the budget session the board approved a private-pay rate increase for
Residents and relatives raised safety and access concerns about an intermittently inoperable elevator at Parkview Health Center during public comment at the Oct. 12 Winnebago County budget hearing.
"It is not safe," resident Patty Julius told the board, describing repeated elevator failures since Jan. 30 and the difficulty of moving wheelchair users through a smaller service elevator that requires staff assistance. Jill Fritsch, whose aunt lived at Parkview and missed services because of the elevator, echoed those concerns.
Supervisor Tom Swan and other supervisors pressed county facilities staff and the Parkview director for information during the budget review. Facilities director Mike Elder said technicians have "chased different little gremlins" and that recent failures were short-term, with the longest outage about a week while waiting on parts. Elder said consultants did not recommend full replacement at this time but acknowledged supply-chain delays for parts. When asked about adding elevators, Elder said adding exterior elevator chases would be feasible but costly, estimating on the record that a new elevator might cost roughly $1 million apiece in the Parkview configuration.
Supervisors also asked about evacuation for people who use wheelchairs. Facilities staff said buildings rely on fire-department evacuation protocols; the fire department has advised not to use untrained staff to move wheelchair users down stairwells.
Budget actions: The board approved two Parkview-related budget items during the session: - A private-pay rate increase of $15 a day (raising the private-pay daily rate to $465) was adopted as an amendment; the measure passed on a roll-call vote. The committee that reviews Parkview had already approved the rate increase prior to the full-board vote. - An amendment to fund targeted recruitment/retention measures at Parkview (drawn from Parkview fund balance) was also approved by the board.
What residents want: Speakers asked the board to expedite permanent repairs or consider moving residents to parts of the facility less affected by elevator outages. County staff and supervisors said they would continue to evaluate repairs, consultant recommendations and the feasibility and cost of capital options.
Why it matters: Repeated elevator outages affect access to medical and religious services for residents who rely on mobility equipment, and supervisors signaled concern about the long-term deferred-maintenance needs raised elsewhere in the budget.
