Koochiching County Veteran’s Service Officer Allen Kruse told Koochiching County commissioners Tuesday that concerns Good Samaritan Administrator Adam Coe has about a proposed Veteran’s Affairs nursing home built in the community mirror those of Littlefork nursing home Administrator Calvin Olson.
Kruse has proposed the county attempt to be chosen by the state as the next location of a VA home. Olson and Coe are concerned that if the home is built, existing nursing homes would be unable to compete with the state facility for nursing staff, according to Kruse.
The facilities in International Falls and Littlefork had contracts with the VA to provide medical services to veterans, but were unable to continue with the contracts as a result of a lack of local requests and needs of veterans, according to Kruse.
Commissioner Mike Hanson suggested the proposed VA home be located in Big Falls as a central place in the county, which would “spur the rural area.” Kruse noted that the state would consider places near emergency medical facilities.
The proposed VA home is different than the proposal for local medical facility to provide out-patient care, according to Kruse.
County coordinator Teresa Jaksa suggested that the county consider changing the system to allow veterans to seek medical attention at any medical center. Currently veterans can go to a medical center, but the VA won’t pay for services. Changing the system would allow the veterans to stay in their communities, she noted.
The board also approved a service contract to continue as the fiscal agent and member of the Highway 53 Task Force.
Commissioner Chuck Lepper said he was “annoyed” that the city of Virginia declined for a second year to join the task force. Virginia had its portion of the highway reconstructed into a four-lane highway and then dropped out of the task force, Lepper said.