NEW ULM — After hearing from local subject matter experts, Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution supporting the need for more rural nursing home funding during the 2023 legislative session Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Dave Borchert, seconded by Tony Berg to allocate $1 billion over the next four years to keep caregivers in nursing homes and boost starting wages to $22 an hour.

According to the resolution, failure to address the long-term care crisis will mean more nursing homes will close, seniors will be denied care they need and caregivers will continue to leave.

Nursing home closures in Winthrop, Fairfax and Redwood Falls put additional strain on an already extensive waiting list.

With the equivalent of 50 average-size nursing homes closing since 2020 and 11,000 Minnesota seniors turned away from receiving care in just October 2022 alone, the State is not properly funding seniors on Elderly Waiver (people 65 and over eligible for medical assistance and Minnesota is just one of two states that limit charging private pay residents any more or less than the Medicaid rate; and Medicaid reimburses only 80% of the cost of resident care.

“When you talk about risk assessment and community vulnerabilities, I think this is the biggest issue we’ve encountered since becoming an commissioner in 2017,” Borchert said. “I think it’s state-driven, but when you consider the threat to our local economy with more nursing homes closing and the services they provide, I think they’re vital.”

Oak Hills Living Center Administrator Candas Schouvieller said Oak Hills had to decline admission to 240 seniors in 2022 and have about 200 people on a wait list.

“We’re already under-bedded in New Ulm. There are so many people that need our services,” said Schouvieller. “The State sets Medicaid rates that don’t keep up with expenses. Medicaid cost reports for rural Minnesota rates are behind three years, so we’re being reimbursed for 2020 expenses in 2023. We’re in crisis. Lots of nursing homes will close if there is not support from the government.”

Schouvieller said a roadblock is Minnesota House Democrats and Gov. Walz investing only in the metro area.

Dr. Ann Vogel of New Ulm said without local nursing homes, people will be “shipped off and their demise will be hastened.”

“We’ve done Zoom meetings with legislators, some of them Democrats. A small number of them get it, but the rest don’t. Their pet projects are at the top of the list,” Vogel said. “We’re talking about economic power in south central Minnesota. There are things we can do, but too many people aren’t listening. I’m certain if Gov. Walz got to the depths of his soul, he’d say this has to go. I’m so happy your are willing to step up. Time is of the essence.”

Vogel said Minnesota Assistant Minority Leader Sen. Karin Housely (R, South St. Paul) told her during a 25-minute Zoom meeting Monday that if funding is not off the ground in the next two or three weeks, it’s gone.

“I think the government owes this to our community,” said Commissioner Borchert.

“The basis of county government is helping people who can’t take care of themselves,” said Commissioner Scott Windschitl. “That’s when the Poor Farm was established.”

Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen said a letter was sent to area legislators and Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) leaders last week supporting increased skilling nursing home funding.

“They tend to read letters more than resolutions,” Hansen said.

Commissioners unanimously approved allowing the use of Lost Dog and Fox Hunters Park for a week in August 2023 for a pilot project filtering algae from lake water.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Brian Braun allowing use of the county park as a staging area for Tom Byrne of New Ulm to park a filtration unit about the size of a semi trailer. Sludge with 10% water will be hauled on tankers and used as fertilizer spread on farm fields. The filtration unit will pump about 1000 gallons per hour in the park. Byrne said he will obtain all required state permits before the project begins.

“It’s a science project that is kind of fun. Some students are excited about it,” Byrne said. He said science students at Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota are excited about the project.

“Algae has a bad connotation but algae oil has more energy than jet fuel. Algae protein is used in food and in jet fuel,” said Byrne, a CPA and tax manager with Carlson SV of New Ulm. He is secretary/treasurer with the Algae Biomass Organization, a non-profit organization that promotes and develops viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae.