|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Civil & Human Rights : Elections & Legislation : Government Secrecy : Health : Labor : Political-Economy |
|
Champaign County living wage is under threat of being repealed |
Current rating: 0 |
by solidarity
(No verified email address) |
23 Aug 2006
|
Defend the Living Wage! Protect essential services for senior citizens!
County Board Meeting
Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 7pm
Brookens Administrative Center
1776 E. Washington, Urbana |
Dear friends....
Tell the Champaign County Board you are opposed to staff cuts at the County Nursing Home!
Encourage the County Board to issue enough bonds to cover Nursing Home construction expenses AND maintain current jobs and program! Speak out at the County Board meeting!
********************************************
County Board Meeting
Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 7pm
Brookens Administrative Center
1776 E. Washington, Urbana
*******************************************
Overview:
Due to a costly mold problem and other construction problems, the new County Nursing Home project is now over a year behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget. On Thursday, August 24 at 7pm, the County Board will vote to approve $4 million dollars in bonds to complete the project.
Concerned community members will need to speak out to...
a) ensure that the bond ammount will be enough to save staff jobs at the new facility
b) force the County Board to hold the contractors accountable for their mistakes and demand they reimburse the County for the needed repairs
c) prevent the County Board from cutting other County health programs, such as the Child Dental Access Program, which provides free dental care for low-income County children
A History of Trouble:
* November 2002: County voters approved a property tax increase to help offset employee costs for the new County Nursing Home and approved a $20 million bond to pay for the construction of a new nursing home facility
* February 2005: A worker blew the whistle on the mold at the facility.
* June 2005: The County Facilities Committee Chair, Mr. Inman, told the News Gazette that the mold was likely brought in by a sub-contractor and assured them that the project was insured.
* July 2006: The County Board agreed to seek $4 million in bonds to finish the project.
* August 2006: The County Board announced their intention to layoff County Nursing Home workers due to cost overruns.
*****************
TAKE ACTION
*****************
Please come to the County Board meeting on Thursday, August 24 at 7pm and make a statement during the Public Comment period. Request that enough bonds be issued to fix the nursing home, and tell the County Board that it is unacceptable to cut nursing home jobs or funding for other vital county programs.
The mistakes by County administrators should not be paid for on the backs of workers or county residents needing services!
Thank you! |
This work is in the public domain |
|
Re: Champaign County living wage is under threat of being repealed |
by Ralph Langenheim
rlangenh (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
27 Aug 2006
|
|
I do support the living wage, voted for it in fact, and am opposed to cutting staff in the nursing home, but I also would appreciate some suggestions as to how to finance all of this. Budget study sessions will be coming up soon, so now is the time to make your arguments. |
|
Re: Champaign County living wage is under threat of being repealed |
by Nurse
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 Aug 2006
|
|
How should you finance all of this, Mr. Langenheim? Raise taxes, of course. We now have million dollar homes polluting our landscape. Let them pay a living wage while using one of their six bathrooms. You Democrats have no courage. |
