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Strafford County staff outline Hyder closure and resident moves to Riverside
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Summary
County staff told the board the Hyder facility has closed, residents were relocated to Riverside, and staff followed the union contract while offering affected employees four weeks' pay plus accrued time; renovations at Riverside finished this month to create four resident/family rooms.
The Strafford County Board of Commissioners heard staff say the Hyder long-term care unit has been closed and residents moved to Riverside as staffers finish renovations and operational shifts.
The chair opened the meeting and asked staff to report on the closure and relocation. David, a staff member, told the board the county "completed the transition between Hyder and Riverside" and followed the union contract on seniority and reassignments. "Two nurses went to the house correction to fill our nursing openings there. Two nurses went to Riverside to fill our they're gonna work 7 to 7," he said, adding that some Hyder nurses declined the offered shifts.
David said employees who were working received the contract-required notice and that others who were not scheduled as of the notice mailing also received letters. "They'll be paid 4 weeks pay plus whatever time they have on the books," he said, noting the county's maximum pay-for-time-on-the-books is $200 in most cases. He told commissioners the county expects to begin seeing savings in the second quarter, with the majority of savings realized in the third and fourth quarters.
Jody, a staff member who managed the physical moves, described converting three storage spaces and several offices into four rooms for residents and family use. "So we have moved three storage spaces that are on the opposite side of the unit," she said, and that rooms such as 305 and 311 will each have single baths, better lighting and proximity to the elevator. She said crews have stripped and refinished floors, replaced at least one windowsill, and expect floors and finishes to be ready by the end of next week.
David described a cost-saving measure to mimic a 6-inch cove base—believed to help deter falls among confused residents—by installing a 4-inch base and painting an extra 2 inches black after crews found the true 6-inch material cost more than double. Jody also said the tub room and a designated smoke room are being prepared and that the nurses' station will remain staffed by a nurse and an aide.
The board heard that Hyder is now empty after the last two residents were moved. David reported the county expects to be COVID-free as of the next day "as of my understanding" per the morning report, with only two residents experiencing mild congestion that did not require hospital transfer or antiviral medication. He said the infection preventionist and Chris Hamilton advised against giving the expensive antiviral medications because residents did not meet clinical criteria.
The chair thanked staff for the work and said the county is still processing reopening requests for the facility and evaluating applicants' qualifications. After brief confirmations, the board moved to an executive session to discuss contract negotiations.
Next steps: staff continue finishing final IT and finish-work so the remaining rooms can be occupied; financial savings from the closure are expected to appear in county financials beginning in Q2, with larger impacts in Q3–Q4.
