<DIV>Tom,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks for your kind personal comments. The first person in my family at the facility that I know of was my Great grandmother, 1957, but she was a resident, not an employee. I have a cousin that worked there for nearly 30 years, most her adult life. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>See, you know more about those facility details than I do and about the debt, finances, etc, I paid attention mostly just to the people in it. I am no expert in any way, but I didn't think the building structure was in that bad of shape. Old? Yes, Not modern? Yes, but it worked for what it was used for. I also don't think two boilers are needed, we had only 1/4 occupancy, if that. The second boiler was build for the increased population in the past, I believe for like over 100 residents. Why fix something that is not used? Also keep in mind, the whole building is not 50 years old, I believe only most of the west wing and basement are that old
(not used now for resident housing), many add ons were made to the building that are newer. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Maybe I am being unreasonable, but I don't think giving the building away is necessary or desirable. I think renting it out for $1 and letting Gritman do what they need to get it in shape for providing needed medical care for local residents at affordable rates is what it fair. I believe that was the case with LHS. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I think we may need that building later when the demand for assisted living rises, which it will in the coming 20-30 years. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>However, I do think what you are suggesting will happen, the county will give away the building. But I don't think that it will be used for what Gritman would like it to be used for. I will be disappointed, but such is life. And you know, the people that are really getting screwed the most are the people in Assisted Living now and poorer
people that are in their 50s to 60s now that are going to need it 30-40 years from now, but someone else will own it instead. Right now Latah is in a decline with population, growth, economics, wealth, and opportunity, when that changes (hopefully it will), the county will regret its decision to hand over this valuable piece of county property. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I also agree, that LHS doesn't have any assets. Its assets were its people, and it lost all those when in September it shut down skilled nursing. I had to watch about 60 employees lose their jobs. Most of them were wonderful, brilliant, caring people. I also had to watch about 20-25 residents leave the facility too, trying to find new homes. It was sad, and I felt guilty for not being one of the ones that lost my job because they were better than I was and deserved to keep their jobs. </DIV> <DIV> My heart still sinks when I pick up a newspaper and see
that one of the people I cared for died in another facility. I wonder if they were treated OK, was pillow tucked under their head the way they liked, was their water cup placed in a position they could reach, was there someone there next to them that they knew and trusted in their final moments to comfort them? Did I fail them because I was not there for them in the end? Those questions rest on my mind and heart, and probably always will. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan J Arnold</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><B><I>Tom Ivie <the_ivies3@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <DIV><FONT color=#00007f>Donovan,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#00007f>So you have family that has pretty much worked at LHS since it's inception? That's impressive. I can see why you love that
building and want to save it. It says a lot of you and your family members who worked there.That line of work absolutely is some of the most compassionate and caring that there is. I have known several people who had to be residents there because they couldn't afford anywhere else. That was the beauty of LHS , they accepted everyone regardless of their finances. Before Medicare, they were the only nursing home in Latah County that accepted you even if you had no money.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Someone in the know, provided me with this information. Some you may already know, some maybe not. LHS still owes around $300,000+ but has no assets. I believe the largest creditors are Infinity Health care, Gritman Medical Center and Valley Vista. These organizations will probably just
write-off the amounts owed as bad debts. Forcing Latah Health Services into bankruptcy would do nothing because there are no assets to sell and pay the debts.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It is very expensive to maintain the LHS building. It is about 45,000 square feet with two boilers (only one is working now). The utility bills alone range from $5,000 to $13,000 per month. A large part of the utility bills are attributed to the therapy pool. Latah County is currently paying all utility bills. In addition, the electrical configuration has been inadequately patched, hot-wired, etc., because LHS had no money to properly fix it. There is also a drainage problem, mold in many rooms
that has rendered them unusable, asbestos, $10,000 to $60,000 to fix the boiler, etc. The list is pretty long.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Many of the therapy pool users say they would be disabled and in a nursing home if they didn’t have the therapy pool. I am confident if Gritman were to acquire the property, we could keep the pool open and combine it with other ‘wellness’ activities so that it will not be a financial drain. Gritman does not expect to make any profit on this, our goal is to make it break-even and keep it open to the public. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Even though I don’t like giving away government property, the costs to maintain, repair, remodel would far exceed any benefit the taxpayers will receive. Maybe there would be the opportunity for some of the LHS employees to work for Gritman? I do agree with you about age discrimination and how terrible it must be to lose a job. I have been extremely fortunate and have never had to go through that. Hopefully never will. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV class=MsoPlainText><BR><BR><B><I>Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <DIV>Tom,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan J Arnold</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><BR><BR><B><I>Tom Ivie <the_ivies3@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">But who pays for the building maintenance and enough remodel to attract some renters?<BR><BR>Did they have a retirement plan to begin with?
<BR><BR>I assume that those displaced workers are now receiving unemployment?<BR><BR>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?<BR><BR>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. <BR><BR><B><I>Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"> <DIV>Tom,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You have some pretty good ideas there. I like to see that type of productive
communication.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My suggestion would be to rent the building for office space. I would use that revenue for four purposes.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1) To pay off the debt of Latah Health Services</DIV> <DIV>2) To subsidize the cost of housing the current residents in a new facility</DIV> <DIV>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). </DIV> <DIV>4) To later remodel the facility 10-20 years down the line when the baby boomers are going to fill it again. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan J Arnold <BR><BR><B><I>Tom Ivie <the_ivies3@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">Donovan,<BR>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. <BR><BR>Here is what I do know. <BR> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">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. </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#000080><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">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.</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><BR></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">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. </SPAN></FONT><FONT style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <SPAN style="COLOR:
rgb(0,0,0)">vision is for the ‘</SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Gritman</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Wellness</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place><SPAN style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">’ and to keep the facility open to all and at a reasonable price.<BR><BR></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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.<BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>Please, call me Tom, we've met. <BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><BR><BR></DIV><BR><B><I>Donovan
Arnold <donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">Mr. Ivie,<BR><BR>Sorry, but I disagree. There are some problems that cannot be fixed by one man and with raising taxes. <BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>Best,<BR><BR>Donovan J Arnold <BR><BR><B><I>Tom Ivie <the_ivies3@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"> <DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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. <BR></SPAN></DIV> <DIV></DIV>
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