Surveyors optimistic on Hillcrest

McCOOK, Neb. — Hillcrest, the county-owned nursing home in McCook, is a 1-2 star facility.

A surveyor hired to look into the operations and financial struggles of Hillcrest told Red Willow County commissioners this morning that nursing homes want to be 5-star facilities.

Ken Klaasmeyer, of Klaasmeyer & Associates of Omaha, ensured commissioners, however, that problems at Hillcrest “can be corrected.” Klaasmeyer said, “Everything needs to be moved up a notch.”

Commission chairman Earl McNutt told Ken and Linda Klaasmeyer that the facility is “absolutely necessary in the community. We need to fix it and get back on track.”

Ken Klaasmeyer said that Community Hospital and McCook Clinic agree.

After discussion in open session for 20 minutes, the commissioners, the Klaasmeyers and county attorney Paul Wood went into closed session at 9:50 a.m. When they came out at 10:25 a.m., commissioners agreed to terminate the agreement with Klaasmeyers, after having completed Phase 1 of their agreement to complete an assessment of Hillcrest. The Klaasmeyers will be paid $6,000 as per their agreement with the county.

The Klaasmeyers will attend the Hillcrest board of trustees meeting at 9 a.m., Tuesday.

Hillcrest has struggled financially for about five to six years, to a point where, in mid-2012, commissioners borrowed $1.1 million to pay construction and bond payments. Despite Hillcrest having taken other steps to improve the nursing home’s financial situation, commissioners have voiced frustration that things haven’t improved substantially. They hired the Klaasmeyer firm in May 2017.