Grant care center committee reaches important milestones

It has been one year since Western Sky Community Care Center purchased 40 nursing bed licenses from Perkins County Health Services in Grant, Nebraska, with a goal to continue elder care in the community. 

As of last week, the committee has marked two more milestones in this quest. These are the approval of its 501(c)(3) application by the IRS, which establishes them as a nonprofit, and the acceptance of their market study by the USDA at both the state and national levels. Both steps are key in securing needed funding for the new care home, according to WSCCC steering committee chairman Mark Bottom.

“An approved market study was a large hurdle,” Bottom said. “This is big news.”

The market study showed a need for skilled nursing care in the area with the closing of PCHS’s convalescent home, Golden Ours, he said.

“In our discussion with the USDA, both parties agreed that a facility with 40 beds was supported by the market study,” he said.

With a new 40-bed facility decided upon, the USDA has directed WSCCC to go forward with submitting its architectural plans and feasibility study, along with scheduling a final town meeting and initiating the construction bid process.

Bottom said the committee is still hopeful to have a groundbreaking ceremony by this fall. However, how much construction will get going this fall is another question, he said.

“The estimated time for construction on the project, from start to finish, is one year,” he said.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.