The county was dealt a difficult yet warranted blow last week when prospective Boyd Cottages Assisted Living buyers Jerry Hollis and Tim Franks informed the County Commission Building Committee that they were withdrawing their bid to purchase the facility.
The assisted living facility has been a great asset to our community since its inception. Many Wayne Countians have loved ones who have lived there or are living there now. It is a facility where the residents can enjoy the feeling of still being able to live on their own, or to enjoy the company of other residents whenever they so desire. The nursing staff is also part of what makes the facility great by being there to meet the residents’ medical needs at any time. As much of an asset to the community that Boyd Cottages is, the fact remains that the facility has struggled greatly with finances and has had to depend on the County to cover payroll many times.
Boyd Cottages is owned by Wayne County. The facility is also operated by the county, more specifically, a board whose structure was defined in a law passed in 1961. Although the law reads as if it is in reference only to the hospital, it was more clearly defined in 1970 to include nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The original five-member “hospital board” that was described now solely oversees operations at Boyd Cottages, while a different 15-member “hospital board,” which includes the original five-member board, oversees operations at the hospital.
After lengthy discussions and much uncertainty over many months, the Wayne County Commission agreed that although they would continue to support the facility remaining open in our community, they were no longer willing or able to continue to financially support the facility as they have for many years.
The facility was put out for bids, and the partnership of Jerry Hollis and Tim Franks submitted the high bid of $1.25 million. On Monday, September 11, the Assisted Living Committee first voted to accept the bid, and the full Wayne County Commission followed by voting yes on the bid as well. Hollis and Franks then began the process of inspections, quotes, estimates, and other due diligence before signing the contract to purchase the facility. “We are aware that the building has some problems, but hopefully they are all small issues that can be addressed quickly,” Franks said at the time.
Last Monday night, members of the Wayne County Commission’s Building Committee and nearly all other County Commissioners met in a special public session with Hollis and Franks, and unfortunately received the information that what were initially thought to be minor problems at Boyd Cottages were in fact huge hurdles that the prospective buyers would not be willing to try and overcome.
Mr. Hollis and Mr. Franks began by letting the commissioners know that they had in fact been carrying out their due diligence on the property, and much to the commissioners’ surprise, said that they had been shocked beyond measure themselves when they were told that the entire fire suppression system at the facility needed to be completely replaced. According to the company that conducted the inspection, a complete revamping of the fire suppression system would come with a price tag of over $300,000.00.
According to the inspection, there has been a long-term issue of pin-hole leaks and condensation in the sprinkler lines at Boyd Cottages. County Executive Jim Mangubat, who is also the Chairman of the Assisted Living Board, said that this problem was exacerbated last year at Christmas when the water lines at the facility froze and burst, but he was under the impression that the problem had been fixed.
The County Commissioners and committee members first expressed their utter disbelief that the problem with the sprinkler system was so massive and had not already been repaired satisfactorily. County Executive Mangubat was asked how this information had not already been made available to the Assisted Living Board, and he continued to say that he didn’t know. Commissioner Tom Mathis stated that he previously asked Boyd Cottages Director Gina Skelton for copies of earlier fire marshal inspection reports, and the copies he received did not indicate the severity of the problem at all. He said that he wondered if the reports he received were incomplete, and if not, how they could be so vastly different in opinion.
Another issue reported by Hollis’ and Franks’ inspectors was the failure of the fire alarm system to automatically contact E-911 if an alarm were to go off. They stressed that all the smoke detectors were functioning properly to the best of their knowledge, and that any alarm would automatically be received by the alarm company. The only issue is that the alarm company would have to contact local emergency services themselves, rather than the system doing it for them.
The commissioners and committee members present were visibly shocked and upset at this information. “Of course I’m concerned about the sale of the facility not happening, but the safety of the residents is certainly the most important thing,” said Commissioner Vickie Petty, who is Chairman of the Building Committee. “Nothing else comes before the residents’ safety and well-being.”
Others in attendance shared that their feelings were the same – nothing about the sale of Boyd Cottages comes before the residents’ safety. “So how am I supposed to feel now that I know this?” said Chamber of Commerce Director Christine Chapman. “Should I just be able to lie down tonight and sleep well, not thinking about my mother-in-law up there at Boyd Cottages who might not make it out of a fire?”
“The people there are the most important thing,” said Commissioner Sherrie Powers. Looking at County Executive Mangubat, Powers continued, “I will not be responsible for anything that may happen next, no liability…this is one hundred percent on you, Jim.”
The commissioners and committee members instructed Mangubat to make a phone call to Boyd Cottages Director Skelton, and make sure that the fire alarm control board was monitored 24/7 by an employee until necessary repairs can be made. All those present agreed that the residents and their families should not have to live in constant fear of a fire or system failure.
Another less expensive but still troubling issue Hollis and Franks reported was that the wooden ramp descending from the deck off the dining room of the facility was rotted and taped off. This would pose a hazardous problem if a fire were to occur in the kitchen or dining area and residents had to be evacuated via the dining room. Hollis and Franks did stress that egress points directly from all residents’ rooms were in good shape.
With the discussion returning to the sale/purchase of the facility, Tim Franks said, “Jerry and I both live here and have parents who live here. We don’t know if our loved ones will ever need to be in assisted living, but if they do, we had hoped to be the owners of a facility right here at home that we could guarantee would meet all their needs. Sadly, the information we have received tells us that making the facility what it needs to be just comes at a cost that is not feasible for us.”
“The purchase of Boyd Cottages has never been all about the money or profit for us,” said Jerry Hollis. “We have never thought of it that way. However, with the cost of the fire suppression system replacement already being quoted at such an enormous price, and not yet knowing what other issues could potentially come up, we are just going to have to respectfully withdraw our letter of intent.”
The Wayne County Commission Building Committee was set to meet again in special session on Monday, November 6 to further discuss the assisted living facility.
