Letter: Supervisor asks for public support on health care center referendum

To the Editor-

Decades of use, even with responsible maintenance, create wear and tear on any building, and renovations and expansions can only go so far. The Portage County Health Care Center has cared for the needs of our local, senior residents for almost 100 years.

As health care services have evolved, the original 1931 design of the Portage County Health Care Center no longer meets our needs. On Tuesday, April 5, Portage County is asking residents to vote on replacing and operating a new facility.

For the last five years, the county administration has focused on finding the right solution for our community. We’re passionate about what we do and we want to provide families with a local and accessible alternative to private care.

To do that, our 91-year-old building needs to be replaced. We don’t currently have the space needed to provide the services our residents need—services like memory care and semi-private Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) rooms.

Some important issues, however, aren’t as easy to see. To continue operating, our building needs critical infrastructure upgrades. Many rooms don’t have adequate air conditioning and lighting, and the electrical system in our resident rooms and across the building isn’t enough to support the equipment needed to care for residents.

Throughout this process, I’ve been grateful for how our community has been involved and made their voices heard. You’ve asked smart questions and offered valuable feedback. This is an important community-wide decision, and it’s important you have the information you need when considering the plan. I encourage you to visit our website, OurHealthOurCareOurFuture.com. There you’ll find information about the plan, the cost, and other details.

Please visit our website and don’t forget to make your voice heard on or before Tuesday, April 5.

Ray Reser
Portage County Supervisor, District 25