Edgewater Haven handled emergency water damage; county planning conversion of a wing for long-term sustainability

Melissa Kaye asked about an unplanned lateral water failure at Edgewater Haven nursing home in Port Edwards. Lance Plimel said the facility "had a lateral water failure, which caused significant damage" and that the nursing home managed repairs using additional facility revenue; the county maintains a contingency fund for emergencies if a facility could not cover costs.

Plimel said the board has seen renderings for converting a wing of the facility to a model more oriented to future revenue and sustainability — described in the interview as a community-based residential facility, with assisted-living-style services and the ability for residents to move to higher-skilled care within the same building if needed. He cautioned that renderings are "the easy part" and that the major issues are interior systems: electrical, fire walls, plumbing and other code-driven work that will determine feasibility and cost.

Plimel said some plans will need state approval and then may return to the county for financial review. He said an update is expected in March, and emphasized the county will consider whether planned renovations fit the budget before proceeding.

Why it matters: converting part of an existing nursing facility could yield more sustainable operations and provide a continuum of care for local residents as demographics shift toward an older population. The interview did not include final cost estimates, specific timelines beyond a March update, or a detailed funding plan.