<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Sarah Culton<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CASSOPOLIS \u2014 A new millage proposal is heading the August ballot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday, the Cass County Board of Commissioners hosted its regularly scheduled meeting. In compliance with continuing \u201cStay Home, Stay Safe\u201d orders in the wake of COVID-19, the meeting was hosted via Zoom video conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the meeting, commissioners voted to approve a millage request by the Cass County Medical Care Facility to be placed on the August ballot. If approved by voters, the .5 mill would levy 50 cents of every $1,000 in state-equalized value of real and personal property in Cass County for five years, starting Dec. 1. The funds raised by the millage, estimated to total $1,165,000 in the first year, would be used to defray the costs of the facility\u2019s operation as well as provide funds for expanding services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe would like to upgrade our services and be able to provide more services to our county,\u201d said Cass County Medical Care Facility Administrator Christian Lutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The millage request is the first one made by the Cass County Medical Care Facility since 1996. Lutes said the facility initially looked at asking for a one mill millage but decided on a .5 mill millage due to the outbreak of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t even know what the world will look like in August,\u201d Lutes said. \u201cWe are in difficult times, in the throes of a national emergency, so we decided to cut that in half.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Lutes, the millage is necessary as the facility has been facing financial difficulty since 2016. As service costs have increased, the facility has been running at a deficit of $16 per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to providing necessary funding to current services, such as outpatient rehabilitation services, adult daycare, assisted living and independent living services, Lutes said the millage would provide an opportunity for the Cass County Medical Care Facility to expand on its services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One new service that could be offered is outpatient therapy, which would be available to any county resident regardless of age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have taken a step back and looked, and we see that our services are what really sets us apart,\u201d Lutes said of the Cass County Medical Care Facility, which is currently ranked in the top 10 percent of nursing facilities by the state of Michigan. \u201cWe would like to expand on that. \u2026 This could allow us to provide the services that we are lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The millage was approved unanimously by the board of commissioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe benefits to the county could be limitless,\u201d Lutes said of the millage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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