FIPHD Votes To Slash Home Health…Saving Taxpayers $750,000.00! –

GILMAN, IL (ECWd) –

What happens when leaders that have the best interest of the taxpayer in mind stand up and lead?  By all indications, the taxpayer comes out head………….Big Time!

Tuesday evening the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department had their meeting and some tough choices led to huge benefits, which makes many wonder why the actions taken at this meeting were not taken years ago?

You may recall we covered the $1 Million Dollar loss in three years by the Home Health division of the FIPHD in this article.  Well, when it came down to the key issue, public service, it turns out the public will still continue to get the service that was costing the tax payer approximately $750,000.00 a year through the FIPHD.

Those same services are now going to be picked up by the local Hospitals that offer the same service and do so with pleasure, contrary to comments made by former Administrator Doug Corbett during past meetings.

Mr. Corbett had lead the board to believe no one else would take care of certain patients…implying the hospitals wouldn’t take them.  Mr. Copas, FIPHD Board member and Iroquois County Board Chairman, was prepared to counter that lie by having the COO of the Iroquois County Memorial Hospital, Chris Curry speak to the board.  Turns out the ICMH welcomes any and all patients and assured the board everyone is welcome.

After much discussion and input from the nurses who work in that program, the FIPHD board voted unanimously to terminate the Home Health program which should lead to a savings of approximately $750,000.00 to the tax payers.

That savings is based on the numbers reported for current expenses, however, it may be less when the truth bears out because it’s clear funding for other programs was being used to cover the loss of the Home Health Division. With that division out of the picture, assuming the County Boards of the two counties approve the termination, the funding that was from other programs may be diverted back to those programs.

Now the big question becomes will the Ford and Iroquois County Boards vote to shut it down.  It’s up to them because it was those boards that passed the resolution to create the service and it’s termination lies in their hands.

I suspect we can conclude Iroquois County Board will do the right thing as they have consistently taken action to represent the tax payer interest.  Ford county is a whole different creature though!  Rick Bowen, Ford County Chairman has fallen for so many lies by FIPHD employees and Ford County Appointed board members lately that its anyone guess as to what he would advise his board to do.  With members of his board reaping benefits from the FIPHD services it should prove interesting to see if they do what’s in the best interest of the tax payer.

As this moves forward for action by the boards we will keep you updated as it happens.