County home not meant to make profit

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, the Lake County Board voted 15 to 8 to privatize Winchester House. Many Commissioners and staff spoke about how under present conditions Winchester House could not compete in the “marketplace.” Winchester House was built in 1847 dubbed “The Poor Farm” for those who did not have the resources to pay for private care. I am just wondering when the mission of the Lake County Board changed from providing nursing home services to Lake County residents who had no other alternative but to depend on a County owned facility, to competing in the private marketplace?

This facility was never meant to compete in the private marketplace. Winchester House is subsidized by Lake County tax payers in the form of a tax levy specifically for the operation and maintenance of Winchester House. The tax payers of Lake County never agreed to have their property tax money forked over to a private Minnesota Corporation.

At the very least, this issue should have been presented to the voters of Lake County for their approval before this action was taken. Now the board is considering spending another $35- to $40-million on a new facility. We’re already out of the nursing home business, why would we throw another $35- to $40-million at a Minnesota for-profit corporation?

Giving $50.000 per month to a Minnesota corporation is so illogical that it seems like commissioners are talking out of both sides of their mouths. on one hand, the county board chairman says that we need to take care of our brothers and sisters and on the other hand he says that we cannot afford to take care of our brothers and sisters unless we hire a for-profit operator. Government, be it municipal, county, state or federal is supposed to provide services by sharing the cost by all of its citizens, not to provide profit for private companies.

Peter Grant

Antioch