[Vision2020] Att. Latah County Commissioners: RE: Latah Health Services

Fri Dec 8 23:10:23 PST 2006

Tom,

  I don't know the answers to all your questions. However, I would NOT hand over a multimillion dollar building for free to any organization unless I had some assurances that they are going to fulfill their pie in the sky promises to meet the needs of the infirm. Otherwise, they could take the building and do what they want with it. What happens if they get the building, cannot get the loans and grants to do what they said they would? Clearly we cannot be angry with them for getting refused federal and state loans, yet they would have our building. I fear the building will be used for cheap office space for medical professionals, which that building would be perfect for and highly lucrative for those professionals in private practice, crushing real estate values downtown and elsewhere. I also fear it would be used for student housing. 

  The problem with the employees is that they did lose a lot of money, for example, all of your sick leave pay, which can be $1000s for some. Employees that gave their youth to Latah have a difficult time finding work, and work with the same level of pay and seniority. Unemployment doesn't pay much and not for long, if you can get it. 

  Imagine starting at a company in your 20s or 30s and doing hard physical labor for 20-30 years, then losing your job, saved sick pay, retirement, health insurance, then trying to get another job at 50 or 60 years old when your body doesn't work as well as it did, and expecting the same pay, benefits, and schedule to be with your spouse, etc. It doesn't happen. Age discrimination is an unfortunate reality. Nobody wants to hire a 60 year old to do moderate to hard physical labor for $12-15 a hour + health insurance when they can get a college kid for under $10 to do it. That is the reality of the situation. 

  I would rent the building out, not give it away. We need to make sure it is going to be used for the best interests of the community. Perhaps I am just being overly guarding of a building I love and wanting it to continue to take care of some of the most vulnerable members of our community. I miss working for LHS, they were good loving people. That building has been a part of my family over the last 50 years and 4 generations. It just gives me grief to give it away with no assurances. 

  Best,

  Donovan J Arnold

Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
  But who pays for the building maintenance and enough remodel to attract some renters?

Did they have a retirement plan to begin with?  

I assume that those displaced workers are now receiving unemployment?

When Latah Health terminated all leases and agreements (including disbanding the Board) they probably gave up all rights to future revenues.  I don't know who is responsible for their debt, but I doubt it is the taxpayers because they are a non-profit and non-government entity.  So do they file for bankruptcy?  Anyone know how that works?

I don't like giving away government property either.  But I don't see how the county can get out of this one without doing so or without costing us taxpayers a lot of money to remodel and upgrade the building. 

Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:     Tom,

  You have some pretty good ideas there. I like to see that type of productive communication.

  My suggestion would be to rent the building for office space. I would use that revenue for four purposes.

  1) To pay off the debt of Latah Health Services
  2) To subsidize the cost of housing the current residents in a new facility
  3) To pay severance pay to the employees at Latah Health Services that served 8 years or more (they got no retirement for 8-30 years of loyal service). 
  4) To later remodel the facility 10-20 years down the line when the baby boomers are going to fill it again. 

  Your idea isn't bad Tom, I think it has merit. However, I don't like the idea of the Government giving away a multi million dollar building to a private organization that we are going to need when there is a shift in the population and the demand for the facility will be there again. 

  Best,

  Donovan J Arnold 

Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
  Donovan,
Fair enough.  I won't "attack" and it is ok to agree to disagree.  Not looking at this situation from hindsight and only looking forward, the solution seems to be Gritman.  That solution does not raise taxes.  You are correct when you say that there is a lot to LHS that I don't know.  

Here is what I do know. 
  Gritman Medical Center would operate the facility for the benefit of our entire county as a Wellness Center with adult day health and care, wellness classes etc.   Gritman is not set up to manage or operate an assisted living facility but would be interested in having an experienced operator do this.   Thus having Gritman own the facility would make it possible for Assisted Living to be offered.

  Gritman Medical Center has already shown its competence and good will by taking over the pool area for one year.   Their ownership would assure the wonderful pool is permanently available. Gritman will honor the agreement to continue managing the Therapy Pool until September 30, 2007.  This is conditional upon utilities, heat, facilities, etc. Gritman's vision is for the ‘Gritman Wellness Center’ and to keep the facility open to all and at a reasonable price.

Gritman has been meeting with architects and engineers to look at the possibility of remodeling and upgrading the facility.  If Gritman were to acquire it, they will need reasonable financing for the remodeling.  This would not be possible with the existing reversionary clause.  They thought the Idaho Housing grant/loan might work but the program specifically deals with ‘housing.’  That might have worked if assisted living services with a stable operator continued at the site.  With Valley Vista terminating services and the short time-frame and great cost to apply, they decided not to pursue that option.  It would probably cost upwards of $100,000 to apply (including very detailed architect and engineering studies) for those loans/grants.  If they were not able to acquire the property, it would all be in vain.  Gritman has the ability to get other financing and at probably more reasonable rates, terms and conditions than would be included in the Idaho Housing HUD program.

Gritman's plans actually save taxpayers money.  They wouldn't be applying for any grants or subsidized loans from IHA/HUD.  Plus the county wouldn't have to spend taxpayer $$$ upgrading the facility.  No matter what the county would use the building for, it would have to upgrade it.  

Please, call me Tom, we've met. 

Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:   Mr. Ivie,

Sorry, but I disagree. There are some problems that cannot be fixed by one man and with raising taxes. 

There is a lot more to this situation then you know. I really wish you would stop attacking Jack Nelson. It is not his fault. He is on the side of the residents.  

Best,

Donovan J Arnold 

Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:     On second thought, why shouldn't the blame be on Mr. Nelson when he was the Commissioner's representative on the LHS Board for the last 6 years and he is the one who knew 1st hand what was needed and did nothing.  

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