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West Bend Samaritan Health Center future debated, residents fight to save it
As Washington County board supervisors discussed the future of West Bend's Samaritan Health Center Wednesday night, with options ranging from renovation to closure.
WEST BEND, Wis. - Washington County board supervisors voted Wednesday night to sell West Bend's Samaritan Health Center.
The center's future was debated before Wednesday's vote, with options ranging from renovation to selling. The vote was 13-8 to sell.
Those who live at Samaritan are older, often have trouble getting around and are in wheelchairs, but they made a point to get to this meeting to have their voices heard in the battle to save their homes.
"I look at it, and I think, ‘Thank God it’s here,’" said Donna Precord.
Dozens call it home, but whether the Samaritan Health Center sticks around is a call made across the street at the Herbert J. Tennies Government Center.
"It’s like, taking away your home," Precord said to Debbie Kison, who has lived at Samaritan in West Bend for eight years. "Throughout those years, I’ve witnessed and seen the beautiful care."
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West Bend Samaritan Health Center future debated
She joined fellow residents and advocates at a Washington County board meeting Wednesday to signal their support of Samaritan.
"Where else would anyone go?" said Precord. "How far away would you have to go for these kinds of services?"
Samaritan started as a nursing home nearly 60 years ago and has run into financial troubles in recent years. An ad hoc committee had been meeting since October to determine Samaritan’s future.
According to the committee's report, the building requires a projected $15 million in renovations. Supervisor Chris Bossert said in November that Samaritan had lost about $4 million over the past two years.
West Bend Samaritan Health Center
The committee also looked into options including replacing, selling or closing the home entirely.
At the full board meeting Wednesday, with a general consensus, the committee recommended renovation, saying financial projections were more positive than previously thought because of increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates and because that’s what residents want, too.
About 90 people live at Samaritan now, according to a presentation during the meeting.
West Bend Samaritan Health Center
"We’re just happy to have the basics of life and that’s, this is what we’re going to be doing and where we want to be for the rest of our lives," said Kison.
The board reassured residents that potential buyers had positive plans for their care.