County Council votes to remove funding for Pleasant View

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Published: Wednesday, 15 October 2014 18:04

Council approves 2015 budget of $15.9 million

The Pulaski County Council has unexpectedly voted to remove funding for the Pleasant View Rest Home (the county home) in its 2015 budget.

The council approved the action in a 3-2 vote Monday night (Oct. 13) at its annual budget adoption meeting.

Council members Mick Tiede, Roger Querry and Tom Roth voted in favor of the motion, while Ron Powers and Doug Roth opposed it. Councilwoman Alex Haschel was absent from the meeting, and council president Jay Sullivan did not vote.

The county's 2015 budget of $15,912,067 was then approved by the council, minus the funding for the county home.

When he later learned of the action, county home board president Bob White Bob White responded that he plans to meet with county officials to reverse the decision.

White said his board was not aware that a possible vote to close the county home was being considered, and that he was given no opportunity to voice an opinion on the matter.

After the vote, council president Sullivan said he would notify White of the council's decision and work to begin the process of relocating the nine residents to alternate housing.

Among the issues taken into consideration by the council was the amont of funds necessary to operate the home and keep it functional and up to code. An inspection of the facility by an outside firm earlier this summer revealed in a preliminary report that the cost of needed structural repairs to the county home might run as high as $500,000.

White reported he plans to attend the Pulaski County Commissioners meeting Monday to discuss the matter.

The status of Pleasant View has been in limbo for the past several years as county officials have debated the efficiency of continuing to operate the aged facility.