Northern Mich~Mash Preserve
~ BAY BLUFFS ~
~ PUBLICLY SPEAKING ~
In earlier years, Bay Bluffs was named "The Emmet County Medical Care Facility".
The oldest predecessor name of Bay Bluffs was the "Emmet County Poor Farm".
Public Act 280 of 1939 created County Poor Farms to support elderly and infirm in Emmet County.
The oldest predecessor name of Bay Bluffs was the "Emmet County Poor Farm".
Public Act 280 of 1939 created County Poor Farms to support elderly and infirm in Emmet County.
The design and compilation of the text and photos on this site are copyrighted 2017.
Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Please do not copy the photos on this site, many of which have been submitted by private individuals...
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
Photo Labels Include:
ECBOC = Emmet County Board of Commissioners (Minutes~Legal Documents)
ECBOC Ad-Min = Emmet County Board of Commissioners Admininstrative (Minutes~Legal Documents)
ECBOC = Emmet County Board of Commissioners (Minutes~Legal Documents)
ECBOC Ad-Min = Emmet County Board of Commissioners Admininstrative (Minutes~Legal Documents)
COUNTY CARE FACILITY HISTORY TIMELINE SUMMARY
as presented on this web page:
Emmet County Poor Farm
FIRST ~ 1883 near Brutus, Michigan
SECOND ~ 1918 Poor Farm moved to location across from Emmet County Fairgrounds
1895 Mr. G.W. Bump was County Superintendent of the Poor for seven years.
1962 Petoskey Geriatric & Convalescent/Care Center (same location as Villa By The Bay in 2021)… The County of Emmet’s Welfare Committee told Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center the county would welcome a private facility to ease the county’s mounting financial load in welfare costs.
1963 County Supervisors (21 members then; not 7 commissioners as in 2021) had a large budget deficit due to required paying for medical treatment and doctors of welfare patients’ own choices, including those served by Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center. The County could get governmental subsidies of funds and food if the county owned the care center. Private care centers did not qualify for as much in governmental subsidies so had to charge more. Emmet County began studies to pursue bonding for construction of a county medical care facility, even with protests from privately owned Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center claiming unfair competition after only a year in business.
1964 The county taxpayers voted 2,085 to 1,373 to bond the county for $600,000.00 and build a 75 bed medical care facility at Harbor Springs. Two other locations had been ruled out; purchase of 1) the soon to be vacated old Lockwood Hospital on Lockwood Avenue, and 2) purchase of new Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center.
Harbor Springs voters, especially, gave the measure overwhelming support as Harbor Springs had deeded over the 7 acre location (with a reverter clause should the property ever not be used as a county medical care facility).
1965 Work began on the Emmet Medical Care Facility (EMCF) located on the bluff, where it is located in 2021 as Bay Bluffs.
1966 In April the EMCF admitted its FIRST patients.
2001 In November, voters approved a millage of .5 mils for “construction and/or operations” to terminate in 2011.
2008 The $10,000,000.00 renovation was completed with Bay Bluffs receiving a higher state reimbursement for resident stays.
2010 November PNR article announced “County nursing home in the black” and would not need subsidy for 10 years. The facility had only used millage for construction purposes, with the millage set to expire in 2011… Some money left to use toward operational.
2017 "A tax proposal to help fund capital improvements at Emmet County's Bay Bluffs medical care facility would NOT appear on the May 2018 ballot as previously proposed... The project would increase the facility's size from 64,000 square feet to 91,000 square feet, and provide more privacy for residents by providing more private rooms. The number of patients at the facility is not expected to increase." The proposed property tax millage would have been for $20.8 million if it had been pursued.
2018 Instead of a millage, the Emmet County Board of Commissioners approved a 1.3 million dollar general obligation bond for Bay Bluffs... so happening with no vote of the people.
Bay Bluffs agreed to repay Emmet County $150,000.00 of the bond each year,
BUT, then by April 2020 Corona-19 Virus had Hit...
In the 30 April 2020 Petoskey News Review, NOT to let a Pandemic go to waste, the "Bay Bluffs director Lisa Ashley, indicates the situation means the 'likelihood of paying (Emmet) County for (its) loan payment is slim in 2020.'" [This complete payment is still in limbo in 2021]
2019 Comparing Bay Bluffs' budget total expenditures for 2020 compared to 2019 showed Bay Bluffs would spend $671,405.00 less in 2020 than it spent in 2019. PLUS, Bay Bluffs received about $1 million in COVID funding... still spending more than its revenue for 2019.
2020 and LAST SEVERAL YEARS: Bay Bluffs has continued, as recent as 20 August 2020, to raise the private pay resident rate to $340.00 per day which equals $124,000.00 per year per resident, which is comparable to the payment received from the government for Medicaid and Medicare patients. Private Pay residents cannot legally give away their resources to become Medicaid qualified, so must be prepared to pay for their Bay Bluffs care from their own resources, until considered financially legally exhausted. If a resident was not poor when entering Bay Bluffs (county poor farm), it is highly likely the resident would die there poor, after any extended length of stay. What is the benefit for staying in a county supported facility, as opposed to staying in a private skilled nursing home? Why do taxpayers have to pay extra funding whether from the county general fund or from a millage on their property taxes? Private skilled nursing facilities such as Villa By The Bay do not receive any of the county's extra funding and yet Villa succeeds. [UPDATE: as of 1 October 2021 the private pay daily rate increased to $350.00 per day]
2020 The Bay Bluff 2020 budget included a “healthy” raise for the Bay Bluffs administrator from (2019) $117,832.00 to (2020) $120,135.00 to (2021) $121,246.00. That is one of the highest wages for a CEO in Emmet County. The Bay Bluffs Financial Officer confirmed that the top five employees of Bay Bluffs make totally, close to ½ million dollars per year. These are the same persons “singing the blues” for not having enough operational money in the budget for Bay Bluffs.
2020 Villa by the Bay Financial Officer told in 2020 that their resident rates are perhaps a touch less than Bay Bluffs. Villa manages its revenue for both operational and capital improvements, with no county infusion.
2021 At the Strategic Planning meeting held 25 February 2021 for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners, the Bay Bluff financial officer revealed, but only after Commissioner liaison MacInnis' prodding, that Bay Bluffs had just recently in 2021 received $1.6 million from the Federal Government for COVID–19 related funding, along with $800,000.00 for the CARES ACT. During the same meeting, County Commissioner MacInnis asked questions trying to determine why, if the county is responsible for the Bay Bluff facilities, is it that Bay Bluffs includes "depreciation of capital assets" in Bay Bluffs audits. This "need to know" is prompted, as well, by the State Department of Treasury requiring Bay Bluffs to provide a "Corrective Action Plan" for results from the most recently filed Bay Bluffs Fiscal Year 2019 audit. The Bay Bluffs Chief Financial Officer’s letter was in response to the Bay Bluff "issue" stated by the State Treasury as: "Expenditures have exceeded revenues for the last three years" as noted on the auditing procedures report. This should certainly be a concern… so Links to the Audits are listed. Actually, Bay Bluffs has shown audit deficits for more than the last three years which are the specific years addressed by the State Department of Treasury’s most recent letter.
Bay Bluffs' Operational and Capital expenses are to be funded through separate sources the way the Care Facility is presently configured. That is because the Bay Bluffs operational aspect is governed by an appointed 3 person board; thus giving no voting rights to the county commissioners who are the representatives of "the taxpayers;” so, presently, no voting input by the taxpayers for Bay Bluff operational decisions.
Taxpayers having to pay for the Bay Bluffs capital improvements, if not through the "county general fund" then only have a say/vote for a new millage, or NOT.
IF in the future, commissioners deem a capital improvement millage vote necessary, for taxpayers to vote… consider whether taxpayers should feel compelled to monetarily support a facility which has operators who have operated for years with a deficit; while approving unrealistic wages for themselves and consistently raising the per diem cost of services to the residents.
[UPDATE: 2 November 2021 Bay Bluffs .25 millage vote to raise taxes for CAPITAL FUNDS no more than $7.6 million in 10 years passed.]
While reckoning these internal budgeting affairs, the ultimate care for the Bay Bluffs residents must remain topmost.
as presented on this web page:
Emmet County Poor Farm
FIRST ~ 1883 near Brutus, Michigan
SECOND ~ 1918 Poor Farm moved to location across from Emmet County Fairgrounds
1895 Mr. G.W. Bump was County Superintendent of the Poor for seven years.
1962 Petoskey Geriatric & Convalescent/Care Center (same location as Villa By The Bay in 2021)… The County of Emmet’s Welfare Committee told Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center the county would welcome a private facility to ease the county’s mounting financial load in welfare costs.
1963 County Supervisors (21 members then; not 7 commissioners as in 2021) had a large budget deficit due to required paying for medical treatment and doctors of welfare patients’ own choices, including those served by Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center. The County could get governmental subsidies of funds and food if the county owned the care center. Private care centers did not qualify for as much in governmental subsidies so had to charge more. Emmet County began studies to pursue bonding for construction of a county medical care facility, even with protests from privately owned Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center claiming unfair competition after only a year in business.
1964 The county taxpayers voted 2,085 to 1,373 to bond the county for $600,000.00 and build a 75 bed medical care facility at Harbor Springs. Two other locations had been ruled out; purchase of 1) the soon to be vacated old Lockwood Hospital on Lockwood Avenue, and 2) purchase of new Petoskey Geriatric & Care Center.
Harbor Springs voters, especially, gave the measure overwhelming support as Harbor Springs had deeded over the 7 acre location (with a reverter clause should the property ever not be used as a county medical care facility).
1965 Work began on the Emmet Medical Care Facility (EMCF) located on the bluff, where it is located in 2021 as Bay Bluffs.
1966 In April the EMCF admitted its FIRST patients.
2001 In November, voters approved a millage of .5 mils for “construction and/or operations” to terminate in 2011.
2008 The $10,000,000.00 renovation was completed with Bay Bluffs receiving a higher state reimbursement for resident stays.
2010 November PNR article announced “County nursing home in the black” and would not need subsidy for 10 years. The facility had only used millage for construction purposes, with the millage set to expire in 2011… Some money left to use toward operational.
2017 "A tax proposal to help fund capital improvements at Emmet County's Bay Bluffs medical care facility would NOT appear on the May 2018 ballot as previously proposed... The project would increase the facility's size from 64,000 square feet to 91,000 square feet, and provide more privacy for residents by providing more private rooms. The number of patients at the facility is not expected to increase." The proposed property tax millage would have been for $20.8 million if it had been pursued.
2018 Instead of a millage, the Emmet County Board of Commissioners approved a 1.3 million dollar general obligation bond for Bay Bluffs... so happening with no vote of the people.
Bay Bluffs agreed to repay Emmet County $150,000.00 of the bond each year,
BUT, then by April 2020 Corona-19 Virus had Hit...
In the 30 April 2020 Petoskey News Review, NOT to let a Pandemic go to waste, the "Bay Bluffs director Lisa Ashley, indicates the situation means the 'likelihood of paying (Emmet) County for (its) loan payment is slim in 2020.'" [This complete payment is still in limbo in 2021]
2019 Comparing Bay Bluffs' budget total expenditures for 2020 compared to 2019 showed Bay Bluffs would spend $671,405.00 less in 2020 than it spent in 2019. PLUS, Bay Bluffs received about $1 million in COVID funding... still spending more than its revenue for 2019.
2020 and LAST SEVERAL YEARS: Bay Bluffs has continued, as recent as 20 August 2020, to raise the private pay resident rate to $340.00 per day which equals $124,000.00 per year per resident, which is comparable to the payment received from the government for Medicaid and Medicare patients. Private Pay residents cannot legally give away their resources to become Medicaid qualified, so must be prepared to pay for their Bay Bluffs care from their own resources, until considered financially legally exhausted. If a resident was not poor when entering Bay Bluffs (county poor farm), it is highly likely the resident would die there poor, after any extended length of stay. What is the benefit for staying in a county supported facility, as opposed to staying in a private skilled nursing home? Why do taxpayers have to pay extra funding whether from the county general fund or from a millage on their property taxes? Private skilled nursing facilities such as Villa By The Bay do not receive any of the county's extra funding and yet Villa succeeds. [UPDATE: as of 1 October 2021 the private pay daily rate increased to $350.00 per day]
2020 The Bay Bluff 2020 budget included a “healthy” raise for the Bay Bluffs administrator from (2019) $117,832.00 to (2020) $120,135.00 to (2021) $121,246.00. That is one of the highest wages for a CEO in Emmet County. The Bay Bluffs Financial Officer confirmed that the top five employees of Bay Bluffs make totally, close to ½ million dollars per year. These are the same persons “singing the blues” for not having enough operational money in the budget for Bay Bluffs.
2020 Villa by the Bay Financial Officer told in 2020 that their resident rates are perhaps a touch less than Bay Bluffs. Villa manages its revenue for both operational and capital improvements, with no county infusion.
2021 At the Strategic Planning meeting held 25 February 2021 for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners, the Bay Bluff financial officer revealed, but only after Commissioner liaison MacInnis' prodding, that Bay Bluffs had just recently in 2021 received $1.6 million from the Federal Government for COVID–19 related funding, along with $800,000.00 for the CARES ACT. During the same meeting, County Commissioner MacInnis asked questions trying to determine why, if the county is responsible for the Bay Bluff facilities, is it that Bay Bluffs includes "depreciation of capital assets" in Bay Bluffs audits. This "need to know" is prompted, as well, by the State Department of Treasury requiring Bay Bluffs to provide a "Corrective Action Plan" for results from the most recently filed Bay Bluffs Fiscal Year 2019 audit. The Bay Bluffs Chief Financial Officer’s letter was in response to the Bay Bluff "issue" stated by the State Treasury as: "Expenditures have exceeded revenues for the last three years" as noted on the auditing procedures report. This should certainly be a concern… so Links to the Audits are listed. Actually, Bay Bluffs has shown audit deficits for more than the last three years which are the specific years addressed by the State Department of Treasury’s most recent letter.
Bay Bluffs' Operational and Capital expenses are to be funded through separate sources the way the Care Facility is presently configured. That is because the Bay Bluffs operational aspect is governed by an appointed 3 person board; thus giving no voting rights to the county commissioners who are the representatives of "the taxpayers;” so, presently, no voting input by the taxpayers for Bay Bluff operational decisions.
Taxpayers having to pay for the Bay Bluffs capital improvements, if not through the "county general fund" then only have a say/vote for a new millage, or NOT.
IF in the future, commissioners deem a capital improvement millage vote necessary, for taxpayers to vote… consider whether taxpayers should feel compelled to monetarily support a facility which has operators who have operated for years with a deficit; while approving unrealistic wages for themselves and consistently raising the per diem cost of services to the residents.
[UPDATE: 2 November 2021 Bay Bluffs .25 millage vote to raise taxes for CAPITAL FUNDS no more than $7.6 million in 10 years passed.]
While reckoning these internal budgeting affairs, the ultimate care for the Bay Bluffs residents must remain topmost.
~ Emmet County Poor Farm ~
FIRST ~ 1883; 1.3 miles south of Brutus, Michigan
SECOND ~ 1918; Poor Farm moved to location across from
Emmet County Fairgrounds (Fairgrounds in same location as in 2023)
FIRST ~ 1883; 1.3 miles south of Brutus, Michigan
SECOND ~ 1918; Poor Farm moved to location across from
Emmet County Fairgrounds (Fairgrounds in same location as in 2023)
Maurice Eby explained in his Brutus on-line book (click HERE to access) that the Emmet County Poor Farm existed near Brutus from 1883 to 1918 for the "poorest of the poor". It was an 80 acre property with William Edgerton [obituary posted below] serving as superintendent from about 1901 to 1918. The Poor Farm in Brutus closed in 1918 and a newer bigger facility was built in Petoskey near where today's (2021) fair grounds exist.
Kate Warner, also known as Emmet County's Angel of Mercy, during the Depression, was appointed the "poor commissioner" in addition to her duties as public health nurse. "She remembered many a night coming home from work to find people lined up in front of her house in need of food. One of her responsibilities as poor commissioners was to oversee the operation of the 'poor house', which was located just north of Pellston. Many homeless, jobless people stayed there sleeping on flimsy cots. Under her supervision, the facility improved. Within five years, all cots were replaced with sturdy beds. The poor commission was eliminated when the state welfare system was developed."
Kate Warner, also known as Emmet County's Angel of Mercy, during the Depression, was appointed the "poor commissioner" in addition to her duties as public health nurse. "She remembered many a night coming home from work to find people lined up in front of her house in need of food. One of her responsibilities as poor commissioners was to oversee the operation of the 'poor house', which was located just north of Pellston. Many homeless, jobless people stayed there sleeping on flimsy cots. Under her supervision, the facility improved. Within five years, all cots were replaced with sturdy beds. The poor commission was eliminated when the state welfare system was developed."
1902 Article Above Right: The cornerstone of Petoskey’s "Home Benevolent Society" was begun by Mrs. Rowan with the help of Mrs. Curtis, Mrs. Cushman, and other lady friends. Mrs. Rowan first learned of needed assistance when a poorly-clad girl stepped in to the Clifton House office where Mr. Rowan was then “poor commissioner.” The girl asked him for the wherewithal for the purchase of a shroud for the body of her mother who had recently expired. This need for help inspired Mrs. Rowan and her friends to manufacture material they purchased into the needed article.
1945
Harbor Springs offers site for a Veterans Convalescent Hospital
Harbor Springs offers site for a Veterans Convalescent Hospital
Beginnings of the Emmet Medical Care Facility
1962
(Preceded by the Petoskey Geriatric and Convalescent/Care Center)
1962
(Preceded by the Petoskey Geriatric and Convalescent/Care Center)
Petoskey Geriatric and Convalescent/Care Center later also was named
Beverly Manor Covalescent Center, AND later Bortz Care Facility...
Beverly Manor Covalescent Center, AND later Bortz Care Facility...
Ground was broken 5 April 1962 for the Petoskey Geriatric and Convalescent Center, after private investment progressed through studies, plans, permits, added city infrastructure, and sanction from the County of Emmet's Welfare Commission to the day of Open House in November 1962. Emmet County had encouraged, and used, Petoskey Geriatric and Convalescent Center to house county welfare residents, only for a couple of years before deciding that the cost was running the county's welfare budget in deficit. The county began researching other plans, and settled on building the Emmet County Medical Care Facility... with its first patients admitted April 1966.
The November 1962 photo above showed the newly finished Petoskey Geriatric and Convalescent/Care Center, followed by the December 1962 article below reporting the "already dissatisfaction" by the county's Welfare Board with the fees the county must pay to house the county's welfare patients.
Dorothy Stowe, 41, passed away September 1966, in Lockwood-MacDonald Hospital.
Dorothy had been employed at at the new Emmet County Medical Care Facility.
Dorothy had been employed at at the new Emmet County Medical Care Facility.
By 1995 the Petoskey Geriatric Care Center had become Bortz Health Care of Petoskey...
the largest nursing home in the Emmet and Charlevoix county area.
the largest nursing home in the Emmet and Charlevoix county area.
SIDENOTE: Thomas and Candace Shield of Traverse City served as volunteer lay pastors at Bortz Nursing Home in Petoskey, Michigan, for 34 years. Thomas passed away 6 December 2021.
1963 Article Below: County supervisors were concerned with the "welfare portion" of the county's budget which had a $37,000.00 deficit. The supervisors were responsible, but had no control over where the people went for medical treatment, or what doctors they saw. Supervisor Ward Walstrom proposed that a possible solution to this deficit problem would be a county medical facility.
Advertisement AND Article below: Petoskey Geriatrics and Care Center (PGCC), a privately owned care center was located at 1500 Spring Street, the same facility and location of Villa By the Bay skilled nursing center in 2021. The advertisement had likely been spurred by talk of the county proposal to begin a center which Petoskey Geriatrics and Care Center feared would put its private business, OUT of BUSINESS with unfair competition. As noted, PGCC was licensed to provide all that a county care facility would provide, plus PGSS was already caring for "County Welfare" referred patients. A county facility, however, could garner governmental subsidies in funding, and food, to lower its costs, which a private facility did not have access. Thus, even though the county had promoted the creation of the PGCC only the year previous, the county found it cheaper to provide its own care facility, if the voters agreed with the millage proposal to fund a bond for construction.
1964 Article Below Left:
Harbor Springs Council Proceedings included the resolution of
transfer of land deed, with reverter clause,
from Harbor Springs to the County of Emmet to locate the County Care Facility.
Harbor Springs Council Proceedings included the resolution of
transfer of land deed, with reverter clause,
from Harbor Springs to the County of Emmet to locate the County Care Facility.
1964 Photo/Text Below: Harbor Springs Mayor turned over the clear deed of about seven acres of Harbor Springs land to Emmet County Supervisor Chairman A.B. Banwell for the county to build the new Medical Care Facility in the near future.
Below: 9 October 2023 ~ Copy of Emmet County Board of Commissioners' Engineered Drawing of Non-Motorized Trail Easement across Bay Bluff property... will be recorded with the County's Register of Deeds; connected to the registered deed above. The City of Harbor Springs had asked for an easement from the County of Emmet for a slight strip of land adjacent to the existing Non-Motorized Trail on the county’s Bay Bluff property. The city will be responsible for constructing, maintaining, repairing, and replacing within the Trail Easement Area. The complete easement document was approved by the 9 October 2023 Emmet County Board of Commissioners.
One Wing of the County Medical Facility Beginning
1965
Article Below: 1966 Rate...
Private Patients will pay $13.00 per day, including everything except doctors bill.
Drugs and therapy are included.
Private Patients will pay $13.00 per day, including everything except doctors bill.
Drugs and therapy are included.
Emmet County Medical Care Facility Admits First Patients
1966
1966
~ 2004 Bay Bluffs Renovation Project Nearing Completion ~
~ 2007 ~
~ 2010 ~
Above Minutes: Was this accurate, that "Emmet County was accepting financial responsibility for debts owed to CMS (Bay Bluffs)," and/or debts that CMS did not pay; and still true in 2021? If it is, how in Bay Bluffs meeting minutes for 20 February 2020 (shown below) was Bay Bluffs board able to discharge $63,000.00 in bad debt? This concept is confusing. Anyone with an answer to this may contact the web master by clicking HERE.
LATER UPDATE: This exact amount of $63,317.00 was written off as on page 9 of the 2019 audit as "Provision of Bad Debt" but approval to write it off was not given until the 20 February 2020 Bay Bluffs meeting minutes below???
LATER UPDATE: This exact amount of $63,317.00 was written off as on page 9 of the 2019 audit as "Provision of Bad Debt" but approval to write it off was not given until the 20 February 2020 Bay Bluffs meeting minutes below???
~ 2017 ~
5 December 2017 ~ Petoskey News Review: "A tax proposal to help fund capital improvements at Emmet County's Bay Bluffs medical care facility won't appear on the May 2018 ballot as previously proposed... The project would increase the facility's size from 64,000 square feet to 91,000 square feet, and provide more privacy for residents by providing more private rooms. The number of patients at the facility is not expected to increase." The proposed property tax millage would be for $20.8 million if it were pursued.
16 August 2018 Bay Bluffs Board Meeting
The Bay Bluffs board approved the new private pay rate per resident
of $308.00 per day effective 1 October 2018
(note another increase below only one year later also).
That equates to $112,420 per year out of pocket (private pay) per resident.
It is often mistakenly thought that because Bay Bluffs is a county medical care facility that when the time comes for a county resident to use the facility, that it will be automatic and free. Unless the person is Medicaid (NOT Medicare) qualified, the person MUST use his own resources, referred to as "Private Pay" as in the (2021) $340.00 per day noted farther below, until their lack of finances allows the person to be Medicaid qualified. Legally, private funds cannot be "given away" to friends or relatives to make a county resident Medicaid qualified. Also, just because a person is an Emmet County resident does not mean the person is automatically accepted to be a resident of Bay Bluffs... a waiting list is often encountered with various acceptance criteria needing to be met. Neither does it matter that a resident has paid taxes which support Bay Bluffs... the "piper must be paid."
List Above: Medicare Interactive web site may be accessed by clicking HERE.
AND
The Michigan Department of Community Health has a guide for Medicaid Care in a Nursing Facility...
Click HERE.
AND
The Michigan Department of Community Health has a guide for Medicaid Care in a Nursing Facility...
Click HERE.
17 OCTOBER 2019 Bay Bluffs Board Meeting
The Bay Bluffs board approved the new private pay rate
of $320.00 per day effective 1 NOVEMBER 2019.
(This private pay rate was AGAIN increased as noted farther below.)
That equates to $116,800 per year out of pocket (private pay).
THE MEDICAID RATE IS $317.81 PER DAY... slightly less.
In 2018 the Emmet County Board of Commissioners approved a 1.3 million dollar
general obligation bond for Bay Bluffs... so happening with no vote of the people.
Bay Bluffs agreed to repay Emmet County $150,000.00 of the bond each year, BUT,
then in April 2020 Corona-19 Virus Hit...
In the 30 April 2020 Petoskey News Review, NOT to let a Pandemic go to waste,
the "Bay Bluffs director Lisa Ashley, indicates the situation means
the 'likelihood of paying (Emmet) County for (its) loan payment is slim in 2020.'"
general obligation bond for Bay Bluffs... so happening with no vote of the people.
Bay Bluffs agreed to repay Emmet County $150,000.00 of the bond each year, BUT,
then in April 2020 Corona-19 Virus Hit...
In the 30 April 2020 Petoskey News Review, NOT to let a Pandemic go to waste,
the "Bay Bluffs director Lisa Ashley, indicates the situation means
the 'likelihood of paying (Emmet) County for (its) loan payment is slim in 2020.'"
Referencing above Bay Bluffs minutes announcement stating that the possibility of a "millage will be necessary" should come as no surprise to anyone. That was the desire of the Bay Bluffs Director and Board even before the ECBOC undertook the issuing of bonds solely for Bay Bluffs, with no surety of repayment... if Bay Bluffs does not pay, then the bonding payments fall on the county taxpayers!!! Unreal decision making!
Commissioner MacInnis is the liaison between the ECBOC and Bay Bluffs. The announcement, however, by Bay Bluffs that it will not have enough funds to pay the county for the bonds that the county undertook on behalf of Bay Bluffs did not reveal that Bay Bluffs had raised an extra $400,000.00 through 2020 with the daily pay rate increase for their residents, Medicare stimulus funds received by May of $260,000.00 and extra donations by May to the Bay Bluffs foundation of $30,000.00 could be used to offset many of the Bay Bluff expenses.
During November 2020, after prodding Bay Bluffs officials, the Bay Bluffs meeting minutes were finally posted for July, August, and September; but not for October 2020. As of the Emmet County Board of Commissioners November meeting, Bay Bluffs was still threatening to not pay the agreed upon yearly $150,000.00 payment toward Bay Bluffs' capital improvement bond issued by the county.
Learned from the almost three months previous August 2020 minutes:
Not surprisingly, Bay Bluffs' approved another yearly private pay rate for the residents. Bay Bluffs raised daily rates from $320.00 per day to $340.00 per day. That means that the Medicaid rate also raised just like each of the previous years. So, like in the above previous comparison of just how much Bay Bluffs stands to INCREASE their income with this $20.00 per day increase based on a conservative 100 residents occupancy rate of a possible 120 occupancy by the state…
$20. X 100 residents = $2000.00 additional per day
$2000.00 X 365 days per year = $730,000.00 EXTRA in the Bay Bluffs coffers/general fund/revenue for 2020!
This $730,000.00 amount is in addition to the additional $401,500.00 of raised rates in 2019. So, Bay Bluffs totally RAISED over a million bucks in the last two years (extra beyond other general revenue of millions); off the backs of taxpayers of Medicaid, or Medicare, PLUS the backs of Private Payers.
Taypayers and county commissioners clearly need to be heard saying that Bay Bluffs officials should not threaten to renege on paying their agreed sum for the Bay Bluffs bond!!!!!
Learned from the almost three months previous August 2020 minutes:
Not surprisingly, Bay Bluffs' approved another yearly private pay rate for the residents. Bay Bluffs raised daily rates from $320.00 per day to $340.00 per day. That means that the Medicaid rate also raised just like each of the previous years. So, like in the above previous comparison of just how much Bay Bluffs stands to INCREASE their income with this $20.00 per day increase based on a conservative 100 residents occupancy rate of a possible 120 occupancy by the state…
$20. X 100 residents = $2000.00 additional per day
$2000.00 X 365 days per year = $730,000.00 EXTRA in the Bay Bluffs coffers/general fund/revenue for 2020!
This $730,000.00 amount is in addition to the additional $401,500.00 of raised rates in 2019. So, Bay Bluffs totally RAISED over a million bucks in the last two years (extra beyond other general revenue of millions); off the backs of taxpayers of Medicaid, or Medicare, PLUS the backs of Private Payers.
Taypayers and county commissioners clearly need to be heard saying that Bay Bluffs officials should not threaten to renege on paying their agreed sum for the Bay Bluffs bond!!!!!
RATE CHANGE noted above means that a non-Medicaid patient/resident in Bay Bluffs
will cost the private pay person, $124,100.00 per year out of private funds... not government funds!
will cost the private pay person, $124,100.00 per year out of private funds... not government funds!
19 December 2020 Bay Bluffs Observations:
It appears from Bay Bluffs' 2021 Proposed Budget that at least $807,217.00 was received from the COVID-19 Grants as listed on the second page of Bay Bluffs' recommended budget. PLUS a line item “Covid-19 Supplies” Nursing’s listed $44,492.00 for 2020 (AND more budgeted for 2021 in the same category). Another Bay Bluffs document titled “Footnotes and Variance Analysis” from 30 September 2020 for Bay Bluffs (shown below) shows that the YTD actual Covid-19 Grants = $1,109,512.00.
Comparing, still on the Bay Bluffs' proposed 2021 budget, the total revenue for 2020 compared to 2019 reports with the addition of the CARES ACT money, Bay Bluffs took in more revenue by, at least, over $225,183.00 in 2020 than in 2019… even with their lesser occupancy rate of which Bay Bluffs officials complain.
Comparing Bay Bluffs' total expenditures for 2020 compared to 2019 shows Bay Bluffs is spending $671,405.00 less in 2020 than in 2019.
With spending less in 2020, and receiving more funds, the Bay Bluff budget includes a “healthy” raise for the Bay Bluffs administrator from (2019) $117,832.00 to (2020) $120,135.00 to (2021) $121,246,00. Of course, that is a substantial wage for ANY administrator in Emmet County even without the raise; more than Emmet County's Administrator Reaves makes with a larger budget to deal, more departments, and quite a few more people to keep happy. Something is WRONG with the Bay Bluffs Budgeting pictures when considering the taxpayers! The Bay Bluffs Administrator, the Financial officer, and the other top three Bay Bluffs officers ALL make hefty wages (Close to ½ Million Dollars total for the five top positions). Administrator Ashley is making even more than the superintendent of the Petoskey Public Schools! While Emmet County's commissioners have no voting authorization over the operational expenses, of Bay Bluffs, the county commissioners could certainly have "a voice, and input" by expressing opinions of how Bay Bluffs administration and three-person board choose to spend Bay Bluffs operational revenue. Those type decisions do affect, even inadvertently, the county taxpayers; just one instance being, Bay Bluffs saying not enough money exists to repay the county for the loan! The county commissioners do appoint two members of the three person Board that governs the county health facility.
Bay Bluffs' own budgetary figures refute necessitating any plea to the county of not having the funds to pay the bond payment to the county. The county’s approval, however, to delay the 2020 Bay Bluffs' $55,000.00 third payment for the funding of the 2018 Bay Bluffs bond that the county originally undertook for the sake of Bay Bluff’s capital improvements should be pursued early on in 2021.
If that $55,000.00 amount is not paid in the future, that means that the Emmet County taxpayers will be paying for that expense. The county has funded the 2020 Bay Bluffs Capital expenses from the bond money, with the bond revenue. Then, from the county’s general fund (taxpayer money) the annual bond expense is paid.
In talking with Villa By The Bay financial officer in 2020, it was learned that the daily rate Villa (also a skilled nursing home) charges per resident (Medicaid or Private pay), is the same, or a touch less, than what Bay Bluff charges per resident. Villa does not have any added infusion of county taxpayer money such as Bay Bluffs has. Villa manages its money to cover BOTH operational and capital expenses with its revenue. This says something as to how Bay Bluffs manages its operational revenues and expenses (finances).... just one being the hefty raises of the top Bay Bluffs personnel at times when the same persons are crying the blues because of lack of funding.
Already, taxpayers are paying for all Bay Bluffs residents, except for the very few who are considered PRIVATE PAY residents. The patients/residents, thus, are covered by Medicaid, and Medicare, which taxpayers already are paying!!! Taxpayers pay those same amounts for patients in other skilled nursing homes such as Villa by the Bay, without having to pay for any added infusion through another millage or loan. Privately owned nursing homes charge the same amounts to the residents as Bay Bluffs, but for some reason private nursing homes are able to cover the operational PLUS the capital expenses. Something is WRONG with the Bay Bluffs Budgeting pictures when considering the taxpayers!
It appears from Bay Bluffs' 2021 Proposed Budget that at least $807,217.00 was received from the COVID-19 Grants as listed on the second page of Bay Bluffs' recommended budget. PLUS a line item “Covid-19 Supplies” Nursing’s listed $44,492.00 for 2020 (AND more budgeted for 2021 in the same category). Another Bay Bluffs document titled “Footnotes and Variance Analysis” from 30 September 2020 for Bay Bluffs (shown below) shows that the YTD actual Covid-19 Grants = $1,109,512.00.
Comparing, still on the Bay Bluffs' proposed 2021 budget, the total revenue for 2020 compared to 2019 reports with the addition of the CARES ACT money, Bay Bluffs took in more revenue by, at least, over $225,183.00 in 2020 than in 2019… even with their lesser occupancy rate of which Bay Bluffs officials complain.
Comparing Bay Bluffs' total expenditures for 2020 compared to 2019 shows Bay Bluffs is spending $671,405.00 less in 2020 than in 2019.
With spending less in 2020, and receiving more funds, the Bay Bluff budget includes a “healthy” raise for the Bay Bluffs administrator from (2019) $117,832.00 to (2020) $120,135.00 to (2021) $121,246,00. Of course, that is a substantial wage for ANY administrator in Emmet County even without the raise; more than Emmet County's Administrator Reaves makes with a larger budget to deal, more departments, and quite a few more people to keep happy. Something is WRONG with the Bay Bluffs Budgeting pictures when considering the taxpayers! The Bay Bluffs Administrator, the Financial officer, and the other top three Bay Bluffs officers ALL make hefty wages (Close to ½ Million Dollars total for the five top positions). Administrator Ashley is making even more than the superintendent of the Petoskey Public Schools! While Emmet County's commissioners have no voting authorization over the operational expenses, of Bay Bluffs, the county commissioners could certainly have "a voice, and input" by expressing opinions of how Bay Bluffs administration and three-person board choose to spend Bay Bluffs operational revenue. Those type decisions do affect, even inadvertently, the county taxpayers; just one instance being, Bay Bluffs saying not enough money exists to repay the county for the loan! The county commissioners do appoint two members of the three person Board that governs the county health facility.
Bay Bluffs' own budgetary figures refute necessitating any plea to the county of not having the funds to pay the bond payment to the county. The county’s approval, however, to delay the 2020 Bay Bluffs' $55,000.00 third payment for the funding of the 2018 Bay Bluffs bond that the county originally undertook for the sake of Bay Bluff’s capital improvements should be pursued early on in 2021.
If that $55,000.00 amount is not paid in the future, that means that the Emmet County taxpayers will be paying for that expense. The county has funded the 2020 Bay Bluffs Capital expenses from the bond money, with the bond revenue. Then, from the county’s general fund (taxpayer money) the annual bond expense is paid.
In talking with Villa By The Bay financial officer in 2020, it was learned that the daily rate Villa (also a skilled nursing home) charges per resident (Medicaid or Private pay), is the same, or a touch less, than what Bay Bluff charges per resident. Villa does not have any added infusion of county taxpayer money such as Bay Bluffs has. Villa manages its money to cover BOTH operational and capital expenses with its revenue. This says something as to how Bay Bluffs manages its operational revenues and expenses (finances).... just one being the hefty raises of the top Bay Bluffs personnel at times when the same persons are crying the blues because of lack of funding.
Already, taxpayers are paying for all Bay Bluffs residents, except for the very few who are considered PRIVATE PAY residents. The patients/residents, thus, are covered by Medicaid, and Medicare, which taxpayers already are paying!!! Taxpayers pay those same amounts for patients in other skilled nursing homes such as Villa by the Bay, without having to pay for any added infusion through another millage or loan. Privately owned nursing homes charge the same amounts to the residents as Bay Bluffs, but for some reason private nursing homes are able to cover the operational PLUS the capital expenses. Something is WRONG with the Bay Bluffs Budgeting pictures when considering the taxpayers!
Below: From minutes posted on the Bay Bluffs web page for Board Meeting 17 December 2020.
Discussion of County Loan Repayment: Ms. Mroczkowski started the discussion by recapping previous discussions. The payment is [in] the budget for 2021. The Board previously approved a $50,000 payment in October, with $105,000 still outstanding. Ms. Ashley and Mr. Greer met with Mr. Reeves and Ms. Gibson. Collectively, they came up with a plan that Bay Bluffs would make another $50,000 payment and Emmet County would assume the rest. Mr. Reeves stated that they had a great meeting with Bay Bluffs staff. He recognizes the cash on hand concerns. It isn’t a good business model to operate with such low cash on hand and could be courting disaster. The County wants Bay Bluffs to be successful and has made substantial investment to make that happen. He requests that Bay Bluffs and County staff have more regular conversations so that he has a better understanding of issues facing Bay Bluffs. He realizes that this isn’t a sprint, it is a marathon. Mr. Reeves stated that is it time to work on a plan for a ballot intiative, and that continued issues make all parties look bad. He said that the Commissioners want to recognize Bay Bluffs staff and administration for the hard work and service in keeping members of our community safe. Ms. Mroczkowski asked Mr. Greer if it is reasonable to make a $50,000 payment to the County at this time. Mr. Greer reassured her and the Board that it is reasonable. He has included it in his financial projections, and feels that it is a show of good faith. Ms. Hansen is heartened by Mr. Reeves’ comments and supports the $50,000 payment. Mr. Cordova thanks the county for their understanding and willingness to work together, and also supports a $50,000 payment. Mr. Reeves clarified that his understanding is that the $55,000 outstanding will carry over into 2021, as he doesn’t have the authority to forgive the balance without the approval of the Board of Commissioners. He proposes that Bay Bluffs and County staff discuss this in January. Ms. Hansen motioned to make a $50,000 payment to Emmet
County towards the 2020 loan payment. Mr. Cordova supported. No further discussion. Roll call votes taken: Ms. Mroczkowski (YES), Ms. Hansen (YES), Mr. Cordova (YES). Motion carries.
County towards the 2020 loan payment. Mr. Cordova supported. No further discussion. Roll call votes taken: Ms. Mroczkowski (YES), Ms. Hansen (YES), Mr. Cordova (YES). Motion carries.
Regarding above Bay Bluffs minutes: It is interesting that Mr. Reaves Emmet County Administrator feels it is time to work on a plan for a ballot initiative for Bay Bluffs, and would mention such to Bay Bluffs in an open meeting, without previously specifically mentioning it in an open meeting of the Emmet County Commissioners. A ballot initiative refers to farther above comments about local privately owned nursing homes making their capital improvements and other expenses from the same amount of revenue that is made from Bay Bluffs residents' charges. Bay Bluffs expects county taxpayers to fund capital expenses on top of revenue from residents' charges, which mostly also comes from taxpayers through Medicaid funds. IF the county is going to undertake paying for the needed Capital Improvement expenses since the skilled nursing home physical assets belong to the county, then, it would seem that Bay Bluffs should LOWER the per-diem per-resident rate, and get the Bay Bluffs operational budget balanced without a deficit.
Below: County Commissioner Liaison MacInnis's Bay Bluff made his report to fellow commissioners for the same above 17 December 2020 meeting and makes no mention of a promoted ballot initiative.
At the Strategic Planning meeting held 25 February 2021 for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners, the Bay Bluff financial officer admitted, but only after Commissioner liaison MacInnis' prodding, that Bay Bluffs had just recently received $1.6 million from the Federal Government for COVID–19 related funding (below, in the 4 February Bay Bluffs meeting minutes, are the conditions for the funding expressed by Bay Bluffs Financial Officer), along with $800,000.00 for the CARES ACT. Bay Bluffs already had reported that for 2020 revenue which also included COVID–19 money, Bay Bluffs funds were well-above expenses, unlike for so MANY years in the past where Bay Bluffs was able to show that up to a half million dollars annual deficit was consistently being reported on the audits each year.
Bay Bluffs–ECMCF
Special Meeting to to Discuss the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loan application
4 February 2021 (Minutes shown below)
Special Meeting to to Discuss the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loan application
4 February 2021 (Minutes shown below)
Letter Below: Also during the Strategic Planning meeting, Bay Bluffs liason County Commissioner MacInnis asked questions trying to determine why, if the county is responsible for the Bay Bluff facilities, is it that Bay Bluffs includes "depreciation of capital assets" in Bay Bluffs audits. This "need to know" is prompted, as well, by the State Department of Treasury requiring Bay Bluffs to provide a "Corrective Action Plan" for the most recently filed Fiscal Year 2019. The Bay Bluffs Chief Financial Officer's letter was in response to the Bay Bluff "issue" stated by the State Treasury as: "Expenditures have exceeded revenues for the last three years" as noted on the auditing procedures report. The letter below includes what Bay Bluffs stated as the "factors which have contributed to this situation."
NOTE especially in the above "General & Administration" line item that the Bay Bluffs 2020 budgeted amount was 1.7 million dollars. Already noted in above reference to the wages of the top five administrative positions, that total is close to ½ million dollars. With just such figures included in the operational budget, asking the county taxpayers for a new millage for capital improvements, with the present resident high per-diem per-resident rate of $340. per day, will be a hard sell.
Better monetary/financial oversight needs to exist on the existing operational funds. Merely having Bay Bluffs create another revenue generating avenue through a facility wing being transitioned to a Medicare Part A therapy unit (although the separate unit does sound like a good decision) to be able to cover the already okayed wage increases from 2019 of the upper echelon approved through 2021... just generating more money to spend "however" is not addressing prudent use of operational funds.
Bay Bluffs' Operational and Capital expenses are to be funded through separate sources the way the Care Facility is presently existing. Taxpayers having to pay for the capital improvements, if not through the "county general fund" then only having a say/vote for a new millage, or NOT. That is because the Bay Bluffs operational aspect is governed by an appointed 3 person board, thus giving no voting right to the county commissioners who are the representatives of "the taxpayers", so no voting input by the taxpayers for Bay Bluff operational decisions.
Taxpayers have no reason to invest in capital expenses for a facility which engages operators who have operated with a significant deficit audit for several years, not just witnessed because of the 2020 COVID–19... and most of those years are without the facility making any substantial capital improvements, so the deficits are due to operational decisions*. Read the yearly Bay Bluffs audits, and especially the "Audit-Responses to Deficiencies" like on the "Screen Capture" below going back to 2016 as accessible on the LINK shown below the screen capture to see for yourself... bottom of this web page.
Better monetary/financial oversight needs to exist on the existing operational funds. Merely having Bay Bluffs create another revenue generating avenue through a facility wing being transitioned to a Medicare Part A therapy unit (although the separate unit does sound like a good decision) to be able to cover the already okayed wage increases from 2019 of the upper echelon approved through 2021... just generating more money to spend "however" is not addressing prudent use of operational funds.
Bay Bluffs' Operational and Capital expenses are to be funded through separate sources the way the Care Facility is presently existing. Taxpayers having to pay for the capital improvements, if not through the "county general fund" then only having a say/vote for a new millage, or NOT. That is because the Bay Bluffs operational aspect is governed by an appointed 3 person board, thus giving no voting right to the county commissioners who are the representatives of "the taxpayers", so no voting input by the taxpayers for Bay Bluff operational decisions.
Taxpayers have no reason to invest in capital expenses for a facility which engages operators who have operated with a significant deficit audit for several years, not just witnessed because of the 2020 COVID–19... and most of those years are without the facility making any substantial capital improvements, so the deficits are due to operational decisions*. Read the yearly Bay Bluffs audits, and especially the "Audit-Responses to Deficiencies" like on the "Screen Capture" below going back to 2016 as accessible on the LINK shown below the screen capture to see for yourself... bottom of this web page.
It is interesting to access the Michigan Department of Treasury web page above by clicking HERE
to view the "Local Audit and Finance Division".
Once on the page, select the county, and the Municipality
(being Bay Bluffs-Emmet County Medical Care Facility - Authority).
Very revealing.
to view the "Local Audit and Finance Division".
Once on the page, select the county, and the Municipality
(being Bay Bluffs-Emmet County Medical Care Facility - Authority).
Very revealing.
*It is quite possible that even with, or perhaps because of, COVID–19, Bay Bluffs MAY finish the 2020 and 2021 years without a deficit audit; thanks to the federal CARES ACT and loan funding... those extra COVID–19 revenues happened due to Federal Funding, not because of local decisions and oversight. Accountability of ordinary (NON-COVID affected) operational expenses must occur....
AND, at the same time...
keep in mind the ultimate purpose of "caring for the Bay Bluffs residents!"
keep in mind the ultimate purpose of "caring for the Bay Bluffs residents!"
Letter Below:
18 June 2020 report by INDEPENDENT Auditor Report regarding Bay Bluffs
for the year ended 31 December 2019...
States the audit "was not performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards."
18 June 2020 report by INDEPENDENT Auditor Report regarding Bay Bluffs
for the year ended 31 December 2019...
States the audit "was not performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards."
Below County Administrator's Report: Promoting a "professional review of the actual capital and needs assessment"... leading toward a possible "request from Bay Bluffs to the commissioners for a ballot initiative to fund this issue for November of 2021."
A 27 April 2021 Petoskey News Review article headlined: "Emmet, Bay Bluffs OK agreement on facility obligations."
The remaining $55,000.00 which Emmet County agreed not to collect at the end of last year from Bay Bluffs, will not be absolved forever–a point which commissioner Neil Ahrens sought to clarify
at last week's board of commisioners' meeting.
It had not yet been determined when Bay Bluffs would repay that final installment, but MacInnis said he believes the organization still plans to pay it back. "Nothing that I heard in the discussion suggested that they would not make good on the remaining portion from 2020," MacInnis said.
The remaining $55,000.00 which Emmet County agreed not to collect at the end of last year from Bay Bluffs, will not be absolved forever–a point which commissioner Neil Ahrens sought to clarify
at last week's board of commisioners' meeting.
It had not yet been determined when Bay Bluffs would repay that final installment, but MacInnis said he believes the organization still plans to pay it back. "Nothing that I heard in the discussion suggested that they would not make good on the remaining portion from 2020," MacInnis said.
Emmet County Administrator Reaves reported for the 10 May 2021 ECBOC meeting:
Farther above is a November 2020 forewarning of Bay Bluffs asking the county taxpayers for money (millage proposal) toward Bay Bluffs. Remember Villa By the Bay, also a skilled nursing home as is Bay Bluffs, but privately owned and funded, charges the same amount per person day rate, but does NOT get any extra funding from the public. Bay Bluffs has not run on a balanced budget in years. Bay Bluff's top paid five employees make a total half million dollars per year!
29 June 2021 Letter Below Left and Right: The state requested a "Request for Improvement of Deficiences-Corrective Action Plan regarding the 2020 Bay Bluffs annual audit. This same deficiency extends back in Bay Bluffs' audit history for YEARS... more than the three years mentioned in this particular letter stating:
"Expenditures have exceed revenues for the last three years. Please Provide an explanation for this trend." To which, Bay Bluffs' financial officer, just as in years past basically presents the SAME reasons for the deficiencies; only for 2020, COVID–19 is charged with some of the deficiencies... even though it states that the CARES Act funding in the amount of $2,150,535 was received to help offset the low census levels and to assist with additional expenses related to the pandemic."
"Expenditures have exceed revenues for the last three years. Please Provide an explanation for this trend." To which, Bay Bluffs' financial officer, just as in years past basically presents the SAME reasons for the deficiencies; only for 2020, COVID–19 is charged with some of the deficiencies... even though it states that the CARES Act funding in the amount of $2,150,535 was received to help offset the low census levels and to assist with additional expenses related to the pandemic."
The Petoskey News Review reported 19 June 2021 that Emmet County Commissioners on 17 June 2021 voted to set a process in motion that will put a 10-year tax for medical care facility's capital expenses up for the voter's consideration on the November 2021 ballot, with more specific details to follow. It was later learned that $8 million dollars is asked for the expenses, but not to be exceeded, which would require at least a 1/4 mil for the 10 years; meaning that would bring in about $800,000.00 per each of the 10 years.
CONSIDER: It has been said that running a county government is like running a “big business.” Consider then, that a county facility is being rented/used by whomever (Bay Bluffs by the Health and run by the Human Services appointed board, in this instance, but could be a private health care company). The county will maintain the facility so it can continue to be used/rented, but when it is used/rented, a return has to be such that the county, and the county taxpayers, are not “going in the hole” over the owning of the facility to be used.
CONSIDER: It has been said that running a county government is like running a “big business.” Consider then, that a county facility is being rented/used by whomever (Bay Bluffs by the Health and run by the Human Services appointed board, in this instance, but could be a private health care company). The county will maintain the facility so it can continue to be used/rented, but when it is used/rented, a return has to be such that the county, and the county taxpayers, are not “going in the hole” over the owning of the facility to be used.
The Process and Progression of Millage Proposal MOTIONS
!. The process and progression of MOTIONS by the Emmet County Commissioners to put the millage proposal on the ballot was very convoluted and conflated to say the least. The commissioners had hired a firm to do a facility assessment on the county care facility. The county Administrator Reaves reported from that study to the commissioners that $7.6 MILLION would be needed to fund medical care facility improvements. So, to harvest that money beginning in December 2021, the MOTION WRITTEN for the 17 June 2021 meeting was as follows:
2. After discussion of the above motion by the commissioners, with the county's Counsel advising to use the WRITTEN MOTiON as is, and rather than moving with the above MOTION, commissioners "added" up to .25 mills to the proposed ballot language for the appropriate attorneys to prepare for November's election. They were told that .25 mills would bring in over $800,000.00 annually.... a half million dollars MORE than the $7.6 MILLION needed for the facility capital improvement, but the commissioners proceed against the advisement of the Counsel... as follows:
3. By the time the appropriate attorneys composed the Millage Proposal, it no longer included the "no more than $7.6 MILLION, but only included the "up to .25 mill"... thus totally up to over $8.000,000 over the 10 years as approved by six of the seven commissioners, as shown below... asking the voters to approve over ½ MILLION DOLLARS MORE than needed.
In 2021 the tragic history of being in a nursing home is undeniably a COVID–19 Death Trap.
But, also KEEP IN MIND...
Avoid nursing home poverty... both BEFORE and AFTER entering into a nursing home.
But, also KEEP IN MIND...
Avoid nursing home poverty... both BEFORE and AFTER entering into a nursing home.
When the letter above was sent to the PNR editor, the word Capital was spelled correctly...
but, perhaps when misspelled, it calls attention to the millage going toward Capital with a CAPITAL C!
but, perhaps when misspelled, it calls attention to the millage going toward Capital with a CAPITAL C!
The 2021 Bay Bluffs CAPITAL Millage election passed.
Here are figures regarding the county voters as posted on the Emmet County Clerk's web page.
What is fascinating about the above figures is when
the figures are compared to the following major Presidential election 2020 figures for Emmet County:
the figures are compared to the following major Presidential election 2020 figures for Emmet County:
2020 population ~ total 34,112
2020 population ~ aged 18 & over 27,855
2020 population ~ under the age of 18 6,257
2020 General Election Voters:
Registered ~ total 30,721 (2020 Election had MORE registered voters than the 30,589 in 2021 above)
Ballots Cast ~ total 22,307
Ballots Cast ~ Blank 3
Of the 27,855 possible voters, (-22,307) only 5,548 registered voters did not vote.
Of the 34,112 total population, (-22,307) only 11,805 did not vote.
Of the 34,112 total population, (-30,721) only 3,391 were not registered to vote, but, 6,257 were not old enough to be registered to vote.
Of the 30,721 registered voters, (-22,307) 8,414 registered voters did not vote.
~~~~~~~~~~~
2 November 2021 Bay Bluffs .25 millage vote to raise taxes for CAPITAL FUNDS no more than $7.6 million in 10 years:
4,701 voted FOR
2,226 voted AGAINST
~~~~~~~~~~~
Health Dept (Four Counties–Emmet, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan) gave these 2021 figures:
10 cities served.
5016 students in Emmet County
19 schools in Emmet County
2020 population ~ aged 18 & over 27,855
2020 population ~ under the age of 18 6,257
2020 General Election Voters:
Registered ~ total 30,721 (2020 Election had MORE registered voters than the 30,589 in 2021 above)
Ballots Cast ~ total 22,307
Ballots Cast ~ Blank 3
Of the 27,855 possible voters, (-22,307) only 5,548 registered voters did not vote.
Of the 34,112 total population, (-22,307) only 11,805 did not vote.
Of the 34,112 total population, (-30,721) only 3,391 were not registered to vote, but, 6,257 were not old enough to be registered to vote.
Of the 30,721 registered voters, (-22,307) 8,414 registered voters did not vote.
~~~~~~~~~~~
2 November 2021 Bay Bluffs .25 millage vote to raise taxes for CAPITAL FUNDS no more than $7.6 million in 10 years:
4,701 voted FOR
2,226 voted AGAINST
~~~~~~~~~~~
Health Dept (Four Counties–Emmet, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan) gave these 2021 figures:
10 cities served.
5016 students in Emmet County
19 schools in Emmet County
The following 29 January 2022 letter was written out of concern for the taxpayers of the BB $1.1 million bond and the recently approved millage for $8 million over the next 10 years. Just how much of those monies have been used, and to what effect? The report above of the ECBOC liaison to BB meetings certainly makes no mention of the taxpayers' dollars for the benefit of Bay Bluffs. An update and transparency should not have to be begged.
Letter sent 4 February 2022 and Photo Below: At the 02 February 2022 ECBOC meeting, Assistant Administrator and Facility Assets Manager, Dave Boyer, was to present a report regarding the progress of, or lack thereof, the $1.1 million bond project for Bay Bluffs. Here are a couple of photos, plus a couple of letters written before and after the meeting regarding the BB bond project.
The following letter was sent 8 February 2022, the day following the ECBOC meeting regarding Bay Bluffs and concerns mentioned in the letter above.
On 8 February 2022, Mr. Boyer did state that he expects that considering all of the problems that occurred that the BOND project will be complete in six weeks... now putting the completion date at 22 March 2022.
*The above noted March 2022 completion date did NOT happen.
In fact, as of 19 May 2022 residents still were taking meals in their rooms or in small groups in Neighborhoods. The residents had been without access to the dining rooms since October of 2020.
Except for Commissioner Drier, the other six Emmet County Board of Commissioners voted to place an additional capital improvement millage for only Bay Bluffs on to the 2021 November ballot, even knowing that the 2019 Bay Bluffs BOND money had not been spent for the designated capital improvements like the dining rooms.
Even in June 2022, the bond money still does not have completed projects, NOR have the additional capital improvements begun using the millage money. What a trick to play on not only the Bay Bluffs residents, but also on the Emmet County taxpayers.
Blame, or to be used as an excuse, for incomplete Bay Bluffs projects must NOT be placed on COVID–19. Commissioners were aware of concerns about the effects COVID–19 was having on construction projects for spending the 2019 BOND money, so why was a 2021 millage pursued by the county?
In fact, as of 19 May 2022 residents still were taking meals in their rooms or in small groups in Neighborhoods. The residents had been without access to the dining rooms since October of 2020.
Except for Commissioner Drier, the other six Emmet County Board of Commissioners voted to place an additional capital improvement millage for only Bay Bluffs on to the 2021 November ballot, even knowing that the 2019 Bay Bluffs BOND money had not been spent for the designated capital improvements like the dining rooms.
Even in June 2022, the bond money still does not have completed projects, NOR have the additional capital improvements begun using the millage money. What a trick to play on not only the Bay Bluffs residents, but also on the Emmet County taxpayers.
Blame, or to be used as an excuse, for incomplete Bay Bluffs projects must NOT be placed on COVID–19. Commissioners were aware of concerns about the effects COVID–19 was having on construction projects for spending the 2019 BOND money, so why was a 2021 millage pursued by the county?
Map Below: Emmet County Board of Commissioners agenda packet (map from 2014) map included to show where kitchen is located for bids received for Birch Wing HVAC and kitchen Walk-in Cooler Repair. It is not clear in the packet where the funds for these expenses will come... bond, or millage? The request stated the HVAC bid to be approved was $62,724.00 to be funded in the 2023 budget. The request stated the Walk-in Cooler Repair to be approved was $20,983.00 to be funded in the 2023 budget.
Still by 30 September 2023 not all of the $1.1 M bond money has been spent. It also is not yet public knowledge, IF ANY of the millage money yet has been spent or for what purpose. The answers, however, evidently would have had no effect on the resident capacity for Bay Bluffs. The state’s residential capacity allowance for Bay Bluffs is 120 beds. The Bay Bluff Administrator Lisa Ashley in a 30 September 2023 Petoskey News Review article stated that the facility has a “waiting list of about 60 people” because of lack of staffing to care for any more residents.
The news article did report that Bay Bluffs and North Central were partnering for a new nursing Fast Track program. The course would include 34 hours of classroom learning, 16.5 hours of skill practice time in the laboratory and 24.5 hours of supervised clinical practice held at Bay Bluffs. Ashley said, “… this partnership brings renewed energy and excitement and hopefully we’ll breathe some new life into our health care workforce in the region.”
The news article did report that Bay Bluffs and North Central were partnering for a new nursing Fast Track program. The course would include 34 hours of classroom learning, 16.5 hours of skill practice time in the laboratory and 24.5 hours of supervised clinical practice held at Bay Bluffs. Ashley said, “… this partnership brings renewed energy and excitement and hopefully we’ll breathe some new life into our health care workforce in the region.”
In October 2023 County Director Boyer reported that to date, ALL of the bond money is spent as noted in the chart below. Also, the boilers were replaced as noted in the summary below with the winning bid of $436,990.00 from Ballard's Plumbing and Heating (Petoskey)... spending $247,673.58 Millage Money which taxpayers have been paying since 2021.