Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Commissioners suggest new Blaine Manor levy

Levy to fund facility through 2014 to go on May ballot

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By KATHERINE WUTZ
Express Staff Writer

County leaders are hopeful that county taxpayers will support a new levy to help fund operations at Blaine Manor in Hailey. Photo by Mountain Express

A Blaine Manor levy is back on the table as the Blaine County Board of County Commissioners discussed how to fund the Hailey facility through fiscal year 2014.

Blaine Manor skilled-nursing facility has been funded by the county through subsidies and a two-year, $1.9 million levy that was meant to see the manor through the end of fiscal year 2013.

But with a long-term solution for replacing or funding a skilled nursing facility still uncertain, Commissioner Tom Bowman asked the commissioners to consider a short-term levy for fiscal year 2014 and possibly beyond.

"Any reasonable person would say there won't be a solution by October of 2013, a solution that would not require a taxpayer subsidy," Bowman said during a public meeting on Tuesday. "Any way you slice it, we will have to make a decision to put something on the ballot for either this November or May."

The county has held senior care discussions since February, weighing both private and public options for a replacement skilled nursing care facility. So far, no decisions have been reached. However, a privately funded, tiered-care assisted living and skilled nursing facility owned by Pocatello-based Safe Haven Health Care may be built by the time Blaine Manor levy funding runs out.

Commissioner Larry Schoen suggested that the Safe Haven facility might form a solution for skilled nursing care—and if so, a levy may not be necessary.

"If Safe Haven's project is successful ... those decisions will be made by spring of 2013," he said. "It could be the board will decide that's the solution to this issue."

He said he would likely support a levy, but that any ballot language would have to be clear and specific, and the board and the Blaine Manor board of trustees would have to inform the community why the levy would be so important.

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"At this time, we don't have and the public won't have enough information to make the decision," he said. "I don't think we can say to the voters how much money will be needed and for how long of a period."

The commissioners agreed to push any levy questions to the May ballot, to give the county and voters more time to gather information. Bowman suggested the levy could be similar to the last one, a two-year levy meant to fund the manor for three years, but that the second year of funds would not necessarily be collected if another senior care solution is found.

Commissioner McCleary said during the meeting that she was confident that a solution would be found, but that she was uncertain about the timing and that a levy might be necessary to fill the gap.

She said she wanted to continue the county's current process for finding a way to ensure county residents have access to skilled nursing care.

"I want to be able to be really clear and transparent to the public about where we are going with skilled nursing," she said. "We've received a lot of public input and although it has taken time and it has been difficult at times, I think we're going through a good process."

The question would be placed on the May ballot, and Bowman said he was confident voters would support the levy.

However, he said, placing the levy vote on the November ballot along with a possible initiative to levy a local option tax for air service might not be the best strategy for either request.

"A tax increase is a tax increase," he said. "Having two tax increases on the ballot, I think, jeopardizes both of them."

If the levy is put on the May ballot and does not pass, Bowman said the county would have four months to figure out how to fund Blaine Manor or close it.

Kate Wutz: kwutz@mtexpress.com

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