By KATY SAVAGE
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CLAREMONT — Sullivan County is budgeting $1 million to design a new nursing home and administrative building at the County Complex in Unity.
County Manager Derek Ferland wants to update the 1931 Sanders Building and the 1970 Stearns Building.
The Stearns Building, a nursing facility, is about 7,500 square feet and has an estimated $3.5 million of deferred maintenance costs, including plumbing and electrical needs.
Ferland said the nursing facility needs new bathrooms and showers to stay competitive with other nursing homes.
“The expectations and design standards have changed for nursing homes,” Ferland said.
The Sanders Building, a former hospital, is about 30,000 square feet and has outdated infrastructure and numerous other issues.
“It’s a disaster…everything about it needs to be redone,” said Ferland.
Ferland anticipates it would cost $20 million to upgrade both buildings.
The $1 million expenditure for the design plans would transfer from an existing fund balance. Ferland doesn’t yet know where the $20 million would come from.
This year’s anticipated county budget, $32,726,372 is up about 2.2 percent from last year, which would add 10 cents to the tax rate or about $15 per year for a property valued at $150,000.
Ferland had a number of goals in mind in creating this year’s budget, including investing in education and training for staff and increasing use of the county’s 2,200 acres of land.
Ferland is also hoping to save money by creating more revenue sources.
Healthcare premiums decreased 4.3 percent last year, which equates to about $100,000 in savings.
There will be a public hearing for the County budget in early June followed by a vote at the end of June.
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