Fourth director named as vets home woes continue

Friday, March 14, 2003 | 11:26 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state's veterans nursing home in Boulder City is still in turmoil and a new director has been named -- the fourth since the home opened last year.

Chuck Fulkerson, state director of veterans' services, said today that Tom Feeback, appointed permanent director of the home in February has resigned "of his own free will." Fulkerson has named Gary Bermeosolo to run the 180-bed home.

Bermeosolo served nearly 20 years as Idaho's veteran service officer and had been a consultant to the home since January. He said he hopes to get the home certified by the Veterans Administration in April so the federal dollars can start flowing into the home, which currently houses 48 veterans.

But he said the home must pass another inspection with a 100 percent rate. "I don't know how realistic that is with the turmoil in the past several months," he told a Senate-Assembly budget subcommittee this morning.

Bermeosolo said there were mistakes made in the construction of the home, such as no access for veterans in wheelchairs in the dining room. He said the system's planning for health care is "chaotic."

The subcommittee, which is considering the the budget for the home, heard testimony from Ed Gobel, a veterans representative from Las Vegas, who said there was only one shower for 36 veterans. They get two showers a week "which is disgraceful," he said. And the toilet facilities for the veterans are also inadequate, he said.

Fulkerson said there is one shower for every four to seven patients. The home was not designed for private bathing facilities for all. He said there were four bathtubs for veterans in wheelchairs so they could slide into the tub.

Gobel recommended that the home be downsized to take only 108 patients, rather than 180. He said that would allow for better bathing and toilet facilities.

Bermeosolo said he hoped to have the home filled within two years. There are 50 people on the waiting list, down from 150.

The home opened last year after major problems in construction and the contractor was pulled off the job and replaced. A suit is still pending between the contractor and the state.

Fulkerson and Bermeosolo both said they are looking at contracting out some of the services to private companies.

He said he would look into contracting out for such things as laundry, outside maintenance, janitorial service, therapy and pest control. But he said the Boulder City home should continue to be run by the state.

John Sias was the first director of the home but he said he was forced to resign by Fulkerson in September 2002. In January, Fulkerson announced Geri Farris of New Mexico had been appointed director but she pulled out before ever taking over. Feeback was then appointed on Feb. 10.