Commission approves revision for West Tennessee veterans nursing home after schedule delays; members press for financial plan

The State Building Commission approved a requested revision and funding to address compliance discrepancies and supplier lead times for the West Tennessee Veterans Nursing Home Project, but the decision came with calls from commissioners for prompt financial follow-up.

General Counsel Warren Jasper summarized the project history and delays: the pre‑planning approval dates to 2014, additional state appropriations and a guaranteed maximum price contract were added in 2022, and water‑service coordination and compliance issues pushed original substantial completion dates. Jasper said the action will “correct the compliance discrepancies” and anticipated a new substantial completion date of May 14, 2026, but cautioned that a 15‑week lead time for generator parts could push opening to September.

Commissioners pressed for details on when the facility would be finished and when residents could be accepted; Jasper said the facility could be finished in July but that accepting the first resident is “more likely” in September. One commissioner raised broader system concerns, noting a reported $10,000,000 HVAC need at a Clarksville home and questioned whether reserve funds—described by Jasper as $1,000,000—would be sufficient. The commissioner said, "I'm not going to make a judgment on this project today per se, but I will say that we need to continue to talk about that." Another commissioner asked for a three‑year pro forma and a schedule for follow-up; commissioners asked that the organization return with financial officers or executive leadership if possible. The motion to approve was moved, seconded and adopted with commissioners requesting submission of the requested financial information within the next weeks.