Ponderosa Villa reports large reimbursement shortfall; Crawford council approves bathhouse repairs and reviews ARPA allocations

The Crawford City Council on Dec. 19 approved payment to Morford's Decorating Center Inc. to repair the Ponderosa Villa bathhouse after receiving a report on the facility’s finances.

Ralene Suchor, speaking to the council during the Villa update, said the nursing facility had 26 residents and eight in assisted living, reported a net profit of $15,882 for the prior month (after noncash depreciation adjustments) and said the Villa is owed roughly $600,000 in government reimbursements. “We are owed $600,000.00 in reimbursements from the government,” Suchor told the council, and she described reimbursement processing as difficult and time-consuming.

Council members discussed recruitment and payroll practices. Christopher Dean asked whether the facility could raise local employee pay to attract workers; Suchor said the Villa recently implemented an attendance incentive—$200 for full-time and $100 for part-time employees who avoid last-minute time-off requests—but that it cannot currently afford benefits. She also said the Villa uses a third party to process and resubmit rejected claims, which the facility views as necessary to obtain reimbursements.

The council voted to pay Morford's to complete the bathhouse repairs. Brent Gebbie noted the Crawford Area Development Fund (CADF) had about $6,265.87 that could be allocated to the Villa at some point, and he asked whether any insurance claims had been submitted to recoup the damage.

Council members then reviewed the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and reporting constraints. Interim Clerk/Treasurer Jeanie Daigger read the original ARPA award amount as $164,598.60, reported $13,216.00 as previously obligated and gave two remaining-balance figures during the discussion (she stated both $151,382.60 and later $152,576.71). Daigger also listed warrants tied to large water or sewer contractors that sum to $153,973.80 and said some warrant lines could be shifted for reporting purposes. April Grant moved to approve the ARPA allocation process as presented; the motion carried unanimously.

The council heard repeated concerns about reliance on contract labor at the Villa and the delay in government reimbursements. Dean and Gebbie both pressed for clearer information on benefit offerings and whether the third-party claims processor is yielding measurable improvements. The council did not adopt further conditions beyond approving the repair payment and the ARPA allocation process; next steps include applying approved payments and finalizing ARPA reporting.

The meeting record shows the council approved the repair motion and the ARPA allocation motion with unanimous ayes and no nays. The council did not record additional formal actions specific to the Villa beyond funding the repairs and discussing possible CADF support; no specific insurance outcomes were reported.