Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Nursing Homes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Madison County Commissioners hear staff, resident concerns and calls for third‑party review of nursing homes
Summary
Residents and Nursing Home Foundation members told commissioners of low occupancy, employee morale problems and alleged retaliation at county nursing homes; HR described grievance and anti‑retaliation policies and commissioners agreed to consider a third‑party review and add the topic to a future agenda.
At a Jan. 5 Madison County Commissioners work session, residents and representatives of the Nursing Home Foundation urged the board to investigate operations at the county nursing homes, citing low occupancy, staff morale problems and concerns about retaliation.
Bruce Peterson, a Madison County resident, said taxpayers are not receiving an adequate return on nursing‑home spending and urged the county to address declining resident counts. Resident Peggy Buyan asked for the number of residents at both nursing homes over the past five years and relayed that two employees had told her they feared retaliation if they spoke openly. Joanne Galiger of the Nursing Home Foundation described an employee whose hours were reduced after medical leave so severely that she lost benefits and ultimately sought an attorney to get hours reinstated.
The concerns prompted multiple calls for an independent review. Jim Kratz (participating by Webex) said the county should commission a third‑party investigation. Paul March, president of the Nursing Home Foundation, questioned how TRMCC used its ice cream machine and asked how much money had been raised and where the proceeds went. "Ice cream donated money paid for the TRMCC resident Christmas presents in 2025 due to not having an auxiliary," Commissioner William A. Todd read from the Webex screen, and Melissa Brummell of TRMCC said proceeds from TRMCC sales go into the "Sunshine fund" for residents; she added that ice cream sales at TRMCC began in April 2024 (not 2021).
Christine Preece, Madison County Nursing Home administrator, outlined the facilities' admissions process and the ID committee membership and said the homes cannot accept violent individuals or those with advanced dementia. She also explained that the facilities currently cannot accept Medate stays because of an occupational‑therapy staffing limitation and said three admissions were under review. Dan Allhands (Webex) said the survey referenced by residents was conducted by CMS in Helena.
Jennifer Tezak of Madison County Human Resources described the county's grievance filing policy and its anti‑retaliation clause and urged employees to report problems so they can be investigated. Commissioners Todd and Duke W. Gilman said retaliation is illegal and urged staff who have specific complaints to come forward rather than rely on hearsay. Todd and other participants said the idea of a third‑party survey should be added to a future agenda for further consideration.
The commissioners did not take formal action at the Jan. 5 work session. The board set no deadline for a review but indicated it would consider placing a third‑party review or survey company on a future meeting agenda. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2026.
