Commissioners discuss $80,000 rail-trail grant, nursing-home staffing with Vantage, EMS upgrades and uncertainty on Purdue funds

At the May 6 meeting county leaders told commissioners the grants office is preparing an $80,000 application to repair and upgrade existing rail-trail segments; the funds would strengthen existing trails, not build new mileage, and staff emphasized the need to coordinate with affected towns and volunteers who maintain sections.

On nursing-home operations, commissioners said they are working with contractor Vantage (transcript previously misnamed 'Vanguard') to recruit a medical director and advanced-practice clinicians (nurse practitioner or physician assistant) and to stabilize after a late staffing transition. Officials said after-hours telehealth services are being implemented as part of interim care arrangements.

Commissioners also summarized a meeting with a World Health Transformation representative about federal grant categories for telehealth and facility upgrades. They noted a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services limitation the representative described: the funding would not cover entirely new buildings but can support upgrades and 'footprint' changes within existing facilities; that limitation influences whether ambulance bays or living/sleeping space for EMS could be funded.

Finally, commissioners said they would request an attorney overview of the new $30 million Purdue Pharma settlement distribution and monitor whether counties will receive annual shares; one official observed the state’s distribution rules may require counties to route funds through state channels before local allocation.

No formal grant awards or contracts were approved at the meeting; commissioners instructed staff to continue outreach and to keep the board updated.