Strafford County leaders push for new nursing home, face criticism over cost
DOVER — Strafford County commissioners, pushing for about $150 million in county funds for a $170 million new nursing home, faced a lot of criticism in a public hearing Thursday night. It was almost all about the price tag.
Fergus Cullen, a Dover city councilor, thanked the commissioners for trying to create a good plan but said more work is needed.
“I am in favor of a new nursing home, but we built Dover High School for $89 million, and this is twice that, the largest building project ever,” Cullen said. “Last year you were told to plan first and come in with something less expensive. You are halfway there. We can do better.”
The revised plan calls for a five-story building with 285,000 square feet of space and 215 beds on County Farm Road in Dover, not far from the existing Riverside Rest Home. A larger building for $170 million was rejected last year by the county's state lawmakers.
The county commissioners — Chairman George Maglaras, Robert Watson and Deanna Rollo — were joined Thursday night by county administrator Ray Bowers in explaining the project.
Maglaras has said a two-thirds vote of representatives who participate in the vote Dec. 20 is required to pass the project. Leaders expect some Republican support will be needed.
State reps speak out
Several members of the county delegation — the state representatives who will vote on the project Dec. 20 — attended Thursday night's hearing. Maglaras said he appreciated their attendance but asked if they would save their comments for the meeting Dec. 20 and let members of the public have their say.
The state representatives did not agree.
State Rep. Kelley Potenza, R-Rochester, said elected or not, the lawmakers are members of the public and had the right to speak.
“I believe there needs to be a new nursing home, but the (lack of) transparency in this process has been painful,” Potenza said. “This project is irresponsible. It is too much.”
Potenza said Carroll County built a new nursing home 10 years ago.
“They came in at $23.5 million, 10 years ago and people went berserk,” she said. “They brought it down to $21.5 million. Their county commissioners went to every town and talked to people, and then built a homelike center. We are all welcome as county officials to go next Friday to talk with them in Carroll County. I have the right to speak because I care. We can’t guarantee nursing staff, or revenues. There are a lot of people suffering.”
Maglaras has been saying the project must be approved soon to meet a 2023 deadline to receive $16 million in American Rescue Plan Act federal funds.
Potenza said she checked with the state Executive Council, and she believes an extension could be granted for the federal funds. She urged slowing down.
Maglaras said commissioners have been told there would be no extension.
State Rep. Chuck Grassie, D-Rochester, backs the new nursing home plan, stating the fiscal study done for the project showed it would more than pay for itself.
“And if we don’t use the money (federal funds) it will go to another project. I do support this," he said.
Making the case for a new nursing home
Bower spoke about problems that need attention at the current Riverside Rest Home.
“There are things facing the 50-year-old building,” Bower said. “There is general wear and tear, plumbing and sewer problems. We have been able to manage to this point. The building staff has done a great job. It’s a clean environment for residents, but there’s no air conditioning, no ability in summer for fresh air. We put air conditioners in residents' room with doctors' orders, for those with respiratory issues. We looked at window replacement but there are environmental issues with the caulking around the windows. It’s the same issue with our tile flooring, all asbestos.”
Bower said the building is inefficient for staffing. He said there are two people to a room, with four people sharing a bathroom and 42 sharing a shower room. He talked about the rise in people coming in with dementia requiring special care.
A man who identified himself as Richard, 90, said he is a resident of Riverside Rest Home.
“I plan on living a few more years,” he said. “If you wait any longer, the cost will be half a billion. I share a toilet with three women, can you imagine what that’s like? I can bring you up to speed on some of the problems. On my third floor, they tried to fix the windows. Now I have it taped to the concrete for the drafts. This is what we got to live with and for how long? Some of you will live there some day.”
Maglaras talked about the rise in dementia cases and how a new facility could better address it while bringing in additional reimbursement money through Medicare/Medicaid. He also said the county also wants to provide services to home care county residents.
“We need to change the way we are doing business,” said Maglaras. “What we do presently is unsustainable. Most people do not want to be in a home and would rather be in their own home. ... We need to be able to provide ... home-based community services, and quality care is expensive.”
Maglaras said they are trying to get in front of the issue, by building revenue as they did with the county jail.
“Like the jail, we can raise revenue,” Maglaras said. “In the jail, we have 80 inmates and are watching 560 outside. We will see this with the new nursing home, too. We need to pay for this. The question becomes how? This proposal takes huge steps in addressing that.”
Most speakers at public hearing call cost too high
Somersworth resident Ken Hilton suggested funds could be used to remodel the current building, including addressing the air system needs.
Steve Beaudoin, a Rochester city councilor, said he is shocked at the price.
“We need a new facility, and I am impressed by the design, but at $800,000 a bed, we are on par with a hospital," Beaudoin said. "We have no surgery there, no cancer center. I think this can be scaled back. I think we can do better.”
Somersworth City Councilor David Witham said he was speaking as a resident of the county.
“Many decades ago, I had an aunt in Riverside, then a grandmother,” he said. “The care was excellent, as was the quality of the staff, but as a layperson observing I thought at the time it was tired, cramped, in need of work. Whether or not it can be remodeled, expanded, I can’t say but I say it needs significant improvement.”
Witham talked about the recent construction of a new fire station in Somersworth, a $9 million project.
“We wrangled for decades on whether to renovate and study after study concluded no, we could not,” said Witham. “We had to build a new facility. Construction costs continue to go up. We need to think about now if the need is present. I have always viewed county government to be fiscally conservative. Thank you for the forward-leaning attitude of the county, and I hope my comments are helpful.”
Architect explains details of project
Architect Jonathan Hall of Warrenstreet talked about the project and the feasibility studies done to get there. He said the current design is a five-story building of residential living.
“Each floor is mirrored and can be adapted for use, as a memory unit, assisted living etc. with one nurse station having visual of all the halls in the floor,” said Hall. "It is designed by current nursing home licensing regulations, like the requirement that every resident must have a window. It will be 215 beds, single occupancy, but is designed for 235 beds, to allow flexibility. There is an atrium in front and administrative offices are together at the beginning. Each elbow has an outdoor court space. There is a child/day care center, a memory garden, a secured courtyard in back. ... It is $135 million roughly for construction costs, $170 million with furniture fixtures, etc.”
Maglaras said commissioners are asking for $150 million and the federal funds would make up the majority of the remaining cost.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Strafford County leaders face criticism over new nursing home cost
