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Board member sees comeback for nursing home
McCOOK, Neb. -- Randy Dean likened it to a football coach yanking his two most experienced players during a championship game and putting in a couple rookies, when Red Willow County commissioners considered Monday morning removing him and Jim Howard from their positions on the Hillcrest Nursing Home board of trustees.
When the Patriots were down 21-3 in the Super Bowl Sunday evening, head coach Bill Belichik didn't bring in the rookies, Dean told commissioners Earl McNutt, Steve Downer and Vesta Dack during their weekly meeting. Dean said that he and Jim are "the two most experienced players" at Hillcrest now, and it "makes no sense" to bring in two brand new board members. Dean has been on the board for eight years and Jim for 16, he said.
"We're so close to making this work," Dean said about addressing financial difficulties that have plagued the county-owned nursing home for about 5-6 years now. "We're so close." Howard added, "We're just about to work our way out of the Medicare/Medicaid problem. We're on the verge of financial victory."
Howard called the commissioners' consideration of replacing him and Dean on the board "a slap in the face."
At the end of the discussion of Hillcrest board of trustees membership, commissioners took no action to remove the two men from the nursing home's board of trustees.
"But we hope there will be a change," Downer said. McNutt explained that they discussed with Dean and Howard in a 25-minute closed session the responsibilities of a board of trustees, including hiring and firing of administrators and giving direction to an administrator. "They're (trustees) not there to take care of staff," McNutt said.
Dean's and Howard's terms will run through Dec. 31, 2018.
Before the closed session and the commissioners' decision, Dean asked for a reason for his and Howard's possible removal from the board. "No one's told us why ... explained what we did wrong," he said.
McNutt explained that commissioners' consideration of removing Dean and Howard is not in reaction to recent activities at Hillcrest, referring to the trustees' decision to fire Carmine Nappa, an employee of the nursing home and the husband of Hillcrest administrator Colinda Nappa. Since that action in December 2016, Carmine Nappa has said he was wrongfully accused of stealing from pop and candy machines and of being in the accounts/receivable office at inappropriate times.
Dean said it was a unanimous decision of trustees to remove Carmine Nappa. "All five (trustees) agreed to fire an employee ... to fix some things," Dean said. "Jim and I, and the board, unanimously voted to take action. When we take action, 5-0, now this happens," Dean said.
Dean said the trustees "can't be blamed for the financial problems at Hillcrest, that we have no control over."
McNutt said, "I'm looking way back, when this whole thing turned upside down. Lots of things have happen over the years. This (consideration) has nothing to do with recent action."
Howard, too, was stumped as to the timing. "We're on the verge of financial victory. We're about there. We've come a long way. It takes time."
He asked, "To go off (the board) when we're so close to final victory ... and we don't get to see the victory?"
McNutt said that paying off a $1 million loan "isn't the whole solution."
Howard, too, told McNutt, "We're not to blame for what's happened. We can't help it. We've asked and we've asked and we've asked for better financials," information that Nappa has not provided.
McNutt stressed, "It's your job to ask your administrator for more information if you need it."
Dean and Howard appear to have the support of Hillcrest staff. Saying she represents the staff, Hillcrest employee Sydney Bauman told commissioners, "We need these two board members. They listen to us."
Bauman said Hillcrest has lost many key employees in nursing, dietary and maintenance recently. "This can't keep happening. Hillcrest will go down the drain," she said and concluded, "If we lose these two (Dean and Howard), Hillcrest staff will lose all hope."
Diane Towery, who has worked in nursing at Hillcrest for 30 years and is retiring soon, said that staff morale at Hillcrest is low and that Hillcrest's reputation "is terrible, but it's not because of Jim and Randy and the board." She said, "I want to see it (Hillcrest) stop circling the drain before I leave."
Howard said that Administrator Colinda Nappa is not forthcoming with information for the trustees, especially anything having to do with the budget and finances. "We've asked her for more information. She won't give it to us. She doesn't let us have it," Howard said.
Downer said he "has a bad feeling that the tail is wagging the dog" at Hillcrest, that the administrator is guiding the board -- not the board guiding the administrator. "If the administrator doesn't produce it (information requested), demand it," he said.
McNutt told Dean and Howard that the staff is not the trustees' responsibility. "The administration is. You guys (the trustees) hired Colinda," he said.
Dack said, "Then do something about the administration. The board (of trustees) hires and fires administration."
In an effort to "move forward" and improve morale, trustees signed a letter of support of Colinda Nappa, a letter that she herself requested, Dean said, and placed in Hillcrest employees' paychecks. "The letter was signed by all five (of the trustees) because we are trying to move forward," he said. Expounding on that, he added, "We're not out to 'get' Colinda. We'll take a more active role. Give us direction. Let us work on it."
Downer said he doesn't feel confident the current board can change the situation. He added, however, "but I don't see it changing by adding new ones (trustees)."
Dean asked for the opportunity to "follow through" on direction from commissioners. "Let us make this thing work," he said.
Dack wondered out-loud ... "Maybe a change would make no difference. Maybe we should let the cards play out ... "
Downer said that he wants the trustees to take control of the situation at Hillcrest. Dack added, "'Taking control of the situation' includes administration."
At 10:33 a.m., the commissioners, Dean and Howard went into an emergency closed session to further discuss personnel. Dack said it was necessary to avoid "confrontations on a personal level."
Out of the closed session at about 11 a.m., and back in the open meeting, commissioners took no action to remove Dean and Howard from the board of trustees.
"No action ... no change," Dack said, but Downer added, "We hope there'll be a change."
Without going into specifics, Downer said the commissioners and Dean and Howard discussed possible improvements for the situation at Hillcrest. McNutt said they discussed following the facility's own bylaws, which define the responsibilities of the trustees, including "hiring, evaluating and supporting the Executive Director. ... The day-to-day operations, property and affairs of (Hillcrest) shall be managed by the Executive Director hired by the board of trustees."
McNutt said they also discussed hiring and firing procedures and giving direction to the administrator (executive director). He stressed that the trustees, "are not there to take care of staff."
McNutt said that the bylaws include procedures for grievances that staff can and should follow.
Following the closed session, Dean said, "We're going to move forward. We're going to make this work."
Colinda Nappa did not attend the commissioners' meeting.