Commissioners Continue to Meet with WCCCC, Inc. Board

by Lace David | May 8, 2023

The Wallace County Commissioners continue to work closely with the Board of Directors for WCCCC, Inc. and plan to meet frequently throughout the transition period.  
On March 28th, the Wallace County Commissioners voted to “offer  to  Hope  Springs,  LLC  management  of  our  care  facility” in a 2 to 1 vote.  
After this decision, the commissioners gave a 90-day notice to WCCCC, Inc, who then began the process required by the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services.  
Since then, some confusion has arisen in regard to the transition between WCCCC, Inc. and Hope Springs, LLC.  On April 27th a special meeting was called to help clarify the steps that the WCCCC, Inc administration is required to take. The commissioners met with Lacey Hunter, Commissioner for the KDADS via Zoom. The Commissioners asked for clarification as to the transition process.  Hunter anticipates a smooth transition on their end and that she thought it was reasonable to assume Hope Springs should have their license to operate before or just shortly after the end of the 90-day Notice to Close that had been submitted by WCCCC, Inc. 
Hunter explained that there are measures to be taken to make sure that the facility is always licensed, and that no resident should be told that they have to find a new home.   WCCCC’s license will be extended until Hope Springs’ license is approved. Townsend asked once again, “For clarification, the residents should not be told they don’t have a home?” Hunter agreed, “no, the residents should not be told they don’t have a home.On Friday, April 28th, the Wallace County Commissioners met with the board of WCCCC, Inc. to discuss the transition of their care center to a new entity, Hope Springs, Inc. Hope Springs has applied for a license to be a Residential Care Facility in the same building.  They are currently working with the Wallace County Commissioners to finalize their contract with Wallace County. 
After Larry Townsend, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners opened the meeting at 5:30 PM, Brian Gailey, president of the WCCCC, Inc. board, updated the commissioners, stating that as of approximately 1:30 PM on that afternoon, the administrator of the WCCCC facility had been terminated, and that former administrator, John Kennedy, would be administrating the facility throughout the transition period.  
Townsend asked the WCCCC, Inc Board for a list of outstanding bills that need to be covered so that the commissioners could decide how best to help WCCCC stay solvent throughout the transition period.  A follow-up meeting was planned for Monday, May, 1st to sit down and look at the figures, once a bigger picture was available. 
Members of the community who were in attendance on Friday came together to make a list of local CNAs, CMAs, LPNs, and RNs to help MaryAnn Schmitt, the Director of Nursing at WCCCC, fill out the remaining schedule of shifts at the facility throughout the transition. 
Now is the time for the community members who have pledged to offer to help, to lend a hand.  If you are interested in helping at the WCCCC facility in some capacity throughout the next 2 months, contact WCCCC at (785) 852-4244. Ext 13 is for the Director of Nursing. 
On Monday, May 1st, the County Commissioners met at 8:30 with Brian Gailey, president of the WCCCC, Inc. board to check on the progress of the transition. Gailey reported that he had been able to evaluate past due accounts and is still working to determine the amount of financial assistance WCCCC, Inc would require to continue operating for the next 2 months. 
The commissioners discussed which outstanding invoices to pay and how much to contribute toward payroll expenses.