Debate on nursing facility request continues

Sept. 24--Despite continued pushback over a letter of approval for Douglas Skilled Property LLC's request of a letter of support for a new 100-bed Medicaid nursing facility at the regular meeting Monday, the Parker County commissioners approved the letter in a 4-1 vote.

"We failed to take any action [at the last meeting] and I think we left with the wrong impression. We left some idea that somehow we were not in favor of this or perhaps any other business and I think that from my perspective, we are not in the business or regulating this particular industry here, but what we are in the business of is growing the businesses that want to come to the county," Commissioners of Precinct 3 Larry Walden said. "It's nothing than a proposed letter that the judge will sign that will say we are not opposed to the construction of this facility. We don't want to give the impression to anyone that we're not in favor of any kind of business."

Keith Fuchs, administrator at College Park Rehabilitation and Care Center, asked the commissioners to look at some data he provided them with before making a decision on the letter of support.

"This will hurt your current operators in quality care staff. In that data it shows Parker County, we are ranked 184 and 187 out of 254 Texas counties in the amount of nursing here in Parker County," Fuchs said. "There are not enough nurses to staff the current eight building we have in Parker County right now and a ninth one is already opening in Springtown. We go months trying to find qualified nurses. At Weatherford College, they put out 40 new nurses per year, three of those this year went into long-term care.

More than three retired in Parker County last year, it is a losing battle. You bring another provider in, it's only going to dilute the waters. We need to strengthen the waters."

Fuchs asked the commissioners to table the item for two more weeks and look over his documents.

"We need more nurses in Parker County now just to staff our current nursing homes," Fuchs said. "It's going to be quantity over quality if you send that letter."

Fuchs claimed that the data presented at the last meeting about Medicaid beds being 80 percent full is false, saying that they are 67 percent occupied.

"If there was a need, they would approve it and would have filed it two months ago," Fuchs said. "Let the state decide if there is a need. If the state decides there is a need, then they'll come ask you to approve that letter, but if you do that now the state is going to say, "Yes, Parker County definitely wants this.' There are way more against it, than there's for it."

On behalf of Douglas Skilled Property Holdings LLC, Jeff Rhodes, of the Rhoman Group, said the letter is certainly not a green light.

"The letters of support have no bearing on the approval or denying, it's simply a box that's checked," Rhodes said. "The state has to verify that the local community is not against a new nursing home. Our application was completed and we got our letters of support from the city [of Weatherford] and from the EDC, but we submitted nothing but the two letters. The state is the one that makes the decision."

Lloyd Douglas attended the meeting and said there is a need for the facility.

"Guys, we need a new nursing home here," he said. "We have a bunch of old, old buildings in this town and we need new product. Our loved ones deserve that."

Along with Fuchs, Joe Matlock spoke against the letter of support.

"The best rating that any facility has in Parker County is two stars on staffing," Matlock said. "You can put 10 more nursing homes in this county, it won't shut anybody down, it will continue to dilute and dilute. It's a struggle and we're going to make that struggle more difficult for us all."

Douglas said ultimately it's up for the state to decide.

"I wouldn't risk a $12 million investment of my own knowing the industry as well as I do if I didn't know it was needed," Douglas said. "It's not for y'all to decide, it's not for me to decide, the state of Texas decides it based on their data."

The letter of support was approved by commissioners with one vote against by commissioner of Precinct 1, George Conley.

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