Rainycrest’s board of management was scheduled to hold a special meeting at 1 p.m. (CST) on Friday with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to learn what will be done with the local home for the aged.
Fort Frances Mayor Dan Onichuk, who also chairs the Rainycrest board, said a press release regarding the outcome would be released later Friday afternoon.
The Rainycrest board put out a call for management proposals in late February, as requested by the ministry.
Three formal proposals were received, including one from Riverside Health Care Facilities, Inc. and another from the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board.
It is believed Extendicare, a private company, submitted the third proposal.
The Rainycrest board submitted the three proposals, as well as some letters of intent and applications for the position of administrator, to the ministry—along with the board’s recommendation—back on March 7.
Current administrator Jill Colquhoun’s final day on the job was Friday.
At its regular meeting Thursday night, DSSAB turned down a motion—put forward by Fort Frances Coun. Tannis Drysdale—to rescind its proposal to manage Rainycrest.
On March 4, following a meeting the previous night between the Riverside board and municipal representatives from across the district, Fort Frances council passed a resolution encouraging the Rainycrest board to ask the ministry to appoint Riverside as operator and manager of the home on an interim basis.
“I have to be faithful to those other six people I sit around the table with,” Coun. Drysdale said in defence of her motion.
Barbara Cournoyer, representing Alberton, and La Vallee Reeve Emily Watson supported the motion.
Reeve Watson, who also sits on the Riverside board, noted the majority of municipalities in the district passed motions similar to the one Fort Frances council had passed, accepting the Riverside proposal.
“A lot of those municipalities did that not knowing DSSAB was putting in a proposal,” countered Atikokan Mayor Dennis Brown, who is vice-chair of the Rainycrest board.
“I don’t think there was any general knowledge,” agreed Valerie Pizey, representing Lake of the Woods. “Councils were of the opinion it was either privatization or Riverside.”
Drysdale noted Fort Frances council was aware DSSAB had submitted a proposal when it passed its resolution March 4.
“I believe if we get into this, we’re buying a pig in a poke,” Reeve Watson said, citing Rainycrest’s financial difficulties.
“I hate to tell you we’re already on the hook for it,” Pizey countered, noting the cost of the home is picked up by municipalities—whether it remains with its current management board or the management is turned over to DSSAB.
She argued Rainycrest should be kept in the hands of a municipal agency.
“I have a concern the Riverside board does not include us—the ones who are going to have to pay the bills,” she remarked.
“Riverside does not represent the Rainy River District. DSSAB represents the whole of the Rainy River District,” agreed Michael Lewis, representing the unorganized areas of Rainy River District East.
Reeve Watson said it would be difficult to maintain resident-focused care at the home with its current financial problems, combined with its compliance problems.
“I can look every person in the district in the eye and ensure them that [our] proposal is resident-focused,” CAO Donna Dittaro stressed. “I have a strong personal commitment to that home.”
“As a service system manager, the province has entrusted us with several programs,” Dittaro said in an interview after last night’s meeting.
Those programs include land ambulance, Ontario Works, social housing, and child care.
“Our primary role is to ensure compliance with the legislation, and provide operational reviews on a regular basis. That’s nothing new to us,” Dittaro said.
“Rainycrest has a great deal more strengths than weaknesses,” she added. “We simply want to build on those strengths,” she added.
The motion to withdraw DSSAB’s proposal was defeated 9-3, with one board member absent.
Fort Frances Times
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