You're watching Open Agenda.
>> Hi, welcome to this week's episode of
Open Agenda. If you've been watching uh
the recent county council meeting or
even perhaps talking to some people in
the community, uh you may have heard
that there's been some big news and very
big concerns regarding the situation at
the Wakcomo Nursing Home. Um, we decided
to film this episode because of the
powerful testimony that community
members brought forth yesterday at the
August 4th County Council meeting. I'm
joined today by Joe White from
Parsonsburg.
>> Hello.
>> And Mr. Jim Atkins from Mardella.
>> Good morning.
>> Thank you. And what I'd like to do,
gentlemen, is actually not really say
all that much. Um, I would like to let
the public hear what we heard last night
regarding the concerns
from former employees, current
employees,
volunteers,
and relatives of residents about what
they say has been transpiring over the
last few months at the Wakcomo Nursing
Home under the new director, Miss Sylvia
Potter,
>> and some of the comments from the county
council themselves.
>> Yeah.
>> Yes. I think that's important because I
was also taken aback by the level of
some of their responses given the the
content that was revealed.
>> Now, on August 4th, they did have the
closed session with the executive and
the the director from the nursing home,
but uh you know, that was a closed
session. Um, obviously it must have
dealt with some personnel issues,
>> but you you could tell during the
council comments, even though the
council could not address what was
discussed during the closed meeting, you
could tell that they were very concerned
about what they had heard and what they
had seen in the in the not only in the
closed session,
>> but then when the public stood up there
and repeated it to them. It was hard to
hear some of
>> Yeah. And and just for context, the the
footage that you're going to see in a
moment of citizens coming up and giving
very heartfelt testimony came after
about two and a half hours of prior
comments and discussion on other things
on the folks waited around.
>> Those folks waited for 2 and 1/2 hours.
Well, more than 25 is from what what I
counted that were at least in the room
and they stayed with the intention to
get their voices heard and they
certainly did that. So, what I'd like to
do, gentlemen, is can we show the public
some of what we saw last night? Uh, let
them speak for themselves, provide the
testimony, and then we'll come back and
maybe just get our our broader thoughts
on it.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Okay. Stick around. Uh, and we'll be
back in a few minutes to talk about what
you're about to see in the next segment
of Open Agenda.
>> Evening.
>> Evening.
>> Before I start, I would like for those
in the gallery here, if you're here
because you have a concern about Wcomo
Nursing Home, please stand up.
>> Thank you very much. I see employees. I
see family members. fire.
>> I see terminated employees, present
employees. Good evening.
My name is Wendy Catelyn and this is my
sister Janet Fox, both residents of
Wakcomo County. I thank you for the
opportunity to come before you this
evening with a concern we have. Back in
the fall of 2022, our mother became a
resident of Wakcoma Nursing Home. From
the moment we entered Wakcoma Nursing
Home, we knew this was the place for
mom.
We were all greeted with smiles and
introductions.
We got to mom's room and began unpacking
and setting up. We turned around and mom
was gone. A sweet little CNA had come in
and wheeled mom down the hall. We
finally found mom about an hour and a
half later in the dining hall playing
bingo. [laughter]
We went in to say goodbye and she said,
"Okay, I'll call you tonight." Although
Janet and I stood in the parking lot
crying, mom was smiling.
We were an involved family and and even
told everyone to get used to our faces
because they would see one of us daily.
It didn't take a week for our mother to
begin thriving at Wcomakico nursing
home. Her biggest complaint was there
was too much pepper in the peas. Now
think about that. You're in a nursing
home and your biggest complaint is
there's too much pepper in the peas.
When I say the administrators,
supervisors, nurses, GNAS, CNAs,
doctors, physical therapists, activities
department, kitchen staff, dietician,
maintenance, and yes, even the sweet
little lady doing the laundry became my
mom's family and ours. Please believe
me. I often wondered if they treated
everyone like mom. The answer is yes. We
watch the same people I just mentioned
treat all residents with the same
respect and care.
>> See, not every family is as involved as
we were, but the staff of Wcomo Nursing
Home made sure that those residents had
them in their lives. You could tell
these people really loved their jobs and
oh, they were so good at it. We continue
to go to Acoma Nursing Home and visit
mom's roommates and sing with our church
the first Sunday of every month. I can
tell you something's going on over
there. The familiar faces are no longer
there. There are no smiles from the
employees
who were there. Nor do I see the smiles
on the residents faces.
You can sense a difference. I've heard
rumblings and know numerous staff have
quit or been terminated. This is very
concerning as when you don't have happy
employees who don't enjoy going to work
or they feel they have a target on their
back, you don't get 100% for them. And
you know who's going to suffer?
>> The residents. As I close, I beg you to
please find out what the problem is at
Wcomaka Nursing Home. Or better yet, I
want you to find out who the problem is.
My name is Mary Ashanti. I'm resident of
Wakcomo County. I have questions and
comments and and and that's going to
work for me. Who has fidiciary
responsibility of Wakcomo Nursing Home?
I have been told that Wakcomo County
Council has fidiciary powers and that
the county executive have administrative
powers. How does how often does county
executive and county council meet for
updates with what comical nursing home
administrator
suggestion hold quarterly meetings like
the council does with the board of
education. This would promote
transparency and help develop trust by
all the stakeholders. It would help
dispel rumors like like why Kamako
nursing home is being sold to a private
uh entity.
Comment. I talked with the administrator
on August the 3 because I was notified
by members of the community that Wakcom
nursing home was being sold. Miss Tina
Fosski, administrator, told me that if
the county was going to sell the
facility, they would not have hired her.
Also, during this conversation, I asked
about meet and greet. Uh she said HIPPO
regulation would prevent that, but she
is but she is willing to attend a
community meeting to share her ideas on
the future of Wakcomo Nursing Home and
get community input.
>> What [clears throat] is the community's
responsibility
to Wakcom nursing home? We owe it to the
legacy of the founders to make sure that
Wakcom nursing home is not privatized.
>> Good evening again. out of Joanosa
District 7. Um there's an old expression
like many, some people are so poor all
they have is their money.
Which brings me to the current
executive. You see,
the problems that are happening are a
direct result of mismanagement or
malmanagement.
The nodding heads at the cameras can't
seem to agree.
the fish rots at the head.
This is a clear reflection of a series
of policies that have been going on for
years. You can look at it from the
landfill to safari at the quarry to the
missing audits to the teachers that have
been fired by the executive or at least
intimidated into being removed. This is
a systemic problem in this county.
Ultimately, the only solution is going
to be in November when you vote. If you
have concerns about the future of the
privatization, and I believe she will
privatize it if she gets a majority of
the council, make no mistake about that.
>> So, be careful who you vote for and what
their policies are. Let them publicly
make a statement on where they believe
it should be privatized or not. But make
no mistake, this danger to our
community. This cancer does not end
until that current executive is no
longer in office. I am one of those
people that was terminated from Wakcoma
Nursing Home after years of dedication,
after years of compassion, after time
after time going in in the middle of the
night in the early morning. It doesn't
matter when I was there. I was
terminated on last uh Tuesday, was it
Miss Corey? I was uh terminated for
inordination because I did not get a t a
timeline in time of a no deadline.
Yes, I was terminated because they said
they gave me a deadline. But however,
the people that said they gave me a
deadline was never in the meeting when I
was put on suspension.
>> Each one of us have stood together. we
have taken care of our residents. And
then somewhere in April, our
administrator came in. Not does she not
know the resident's names, but she still
doesn't even know the staff's names.
True.
>> She still does not put herself as an
open door policy as the policy states.
>> The lights are dimmed or dark in the
office. So it says you're not welcome
here.
There has it's a time now that not
because of us over 100 years of
experience has been terminated. of a 100
years of loving our residents a total of
seven people one for 18 years she's here
tonight was terminated actually she was
forced to resign because they put on the
IPIP but her like myself also have a
very clear record our uh file our
personal file is very clear there's
nothing nothing on it other than
exceptional and outstanding
but yet here we are unemployed
because of the target that's on our
back. And who is this target coming
from?
>> The administrator. She decided
I'm going to target this one and that
one so that I can get my MDS done from a
outsource a person that doesn't step
foot into the building to assess our
resident. Is that not fraudulent?
Because all assessments there should at
least have an eye on. I ask a bid that
you please find out why this person has
been administrator for 8 years and have
been to 10 different locations.
>> Good evening. I'm Chris Windsor Wcomo
County a 12 and a half year employee
Wcomo Nursing Home until Thursday when I
received a phone call telling me I was
terminated.
>> Phone call.
>> Phone call.
>> Yes. Um,
the nursing home has been owned by the
county for quite a few years. We're
county but not county. We're own
subsidy. We're self-sufficient. We
support ourselves.
We've never had to have county involved
until April the 9th of this year. And
that's when it became a toxic, hostile
work environment. Yes.
>> Patient care is is diminishing because
we don't have the staff. Everybody wants
to cut cost. They're changing up the
payroll system because they don't know
how to work it. They're outsourcing our
billing. They're outsourcing our MDS
coordinations. We've been a four-star
facility. Nursing homes are rated by
five stars. We're four. Everything else
around us is two.
So, we've done something right in the
past
>> all up until April the 9th
and thank you for your time. My name is
Esther Thomas. I am a resident of
Wcomako County. Um, I am currently
employed as one of the nurses at Wcomamo
Nursing Home. Just wanted to write a
little statement about things that are
going on here. Um, so as we all know,
Wcomo Nursing Home has been a nonprofit
nursing home that's more than just a
healthcare facility. It has been a home,
a place where residents are known as
individuals treated with dignity and
given a voice in their daily lives. It
has also been a family for the loyal and
dedicated employees who support our
residents and one another. Our staff
have built relationships that cannot be
measured on a financial statement. They
know how residents take their coffee,
what brings them comfort, and when
something is wrong before it even comes
to it. Many employees have devoted years
of their lives to this community. that
continuity, trust, and compassion are
the foundation of resident centered
care. Now, a new administrator is
changing that culture.
Long-standing policies are being
replaced and essential jobs are being
outsourced. Dedicated employees face
losing their livelihoods while residents
face losing their familiar caregivers
and support staff they know and trust.
These are not simply operational
changes. They affect real people, real
families, and the quality and
consistency of care.
Financial responsibility is necessary
even in a nonprofit organization.
But financial decisions should be should
support the mission, not replace it.
When decisions are driven primarily by
revenue, efficiency, and corporate
priorities, residents can become
numbers. Employees can be treated as
expenses and the values that made this
home special can disappear.
We are asking for transparency,
transparency,
accountability, and meaningful
participation in decisions that affect
this community before positions are
outsourced. Leadership should explain
the financial and care related
justification, evaluate the effect on
residents, and listen to the employees,
residents, and families.
Costs savings should never come at the
expense of dignity, trust, safety, or
continuity of care.
Why ComicCo Nursing Home belongs in the
deepest sense to the people who live and
work here. [laughter]
>> Its future should reflect its nonprofit
mission and resident centered values. We
must protect the residents who call it
home and respect the employees who have
made it one. People must remain the
priority, not profit. My name is Nikki
Hayhurst and I'm a resident of Wcomo
County. I'm not a worker over there. I'm
a volunteer. I go on my time twice a
week to see residents in these in this
nursing home.
>> And I've seen the deterioration
since April of this the the morale of
the employees. I see them walking and
trying to do their job, but they're
looking over their shoulder because they
don't know if they're going to be the
next one being fired. I don't see the
juice carts out there where the
president can go over and say, "Hey, I
want a drink." You have to go find
somebody. Yesterday, really just put the
icing on the cake. I was in there seeing
a lady that has
a problem and she can't beat herself.
The resident the the aid was there and
it was not one of these ladies here. It
was somebody new standing there with her
phone in her hand, taking her fork with
a spaghetti humped up this high, shove
it in the patient's mouth.
>> Terrible.
>> That is not taking care of people. That
is not why I come to a nursing home. I
knew when Wendy's mother was there, that
was not nursing home. These people are
walking on neck snails. that that that
boss, if you want to call her that,
>> doesn't even come out of her office. She
doesn't see what's going on.
>> She got her blinders on like a horse.
>> Thank you.
>> My name is Ernest Davis, my comical
county residents. For all you know, you
guys know I was on the council for 8
years. And this isn't the second time.
This ain't the first time that something
came up with nursing home. This ain't
the first time it's been want to be
sold. I can look at two councilmen that
know what happened. It was trying to be
sold once before. The council stepped in
and did what was done what was right. I
understand what's going on over there.
The employees are being harassed not
only at the nursing home. It's going out
throughout the county.
>> But something has to be done.
>> You know what you got to do, so you do
what you got to do and be taken care of.
But I'm quite sure the council is going
to do their respons take their
responsibility and do what's correct to
help solve this problem that's over
there. So you guys hold tight. I think
things going to go and get better. THANK
YOU
>> COUNCIL. I think these people need to
know who the council representatives
representative is for that particular
area. Is it you Mr. Enis?
>> No. Is it you, Miss Sheney?
>> Yes.
>> Please see Miss Sheney. Take your
concerns to Miss Sheney. There was a
close session today, but Miss Sheney,
you need to take everything to her so
she can get it straightened out, do the
protocol.
You people, I I I'm glad I didn't go
over there. I just had major surgery not
too long ago. They were going to put me
in the Wakamico County Nursing Home. And
because of my insurance, I was able to
have 24-hour care at home. That's just
me. Okay. However, I'm glad I did not
walk through the doors of the Wakamo
County Nursing Home.
20ome years ago, the citizens of Wakcomo
County voted in a county executive.
When that happened, it changed the whole
operation of Wakcomo County and it
especially changed the responsibilities
of this council.
Okay? We don't have the authority that
we used to have.
Two years ago,
the citizens of Wakcomo County had an
opportunity to change that government
back to a council form of government and
unfortunately that didn't happen. So, we
still have a county executive and by our
charter.
Unfortunately, there's probably not a
lot we can and believe me, I love this
nursing home. I've had family there,
different family members there for
years. I think one of my cousins was
probably one of the longest residents.
But because of our form of government,
we can't sit up here and tell you that
we can fix that problem,
the problem that apparently we're having
now. We were in a closed session before
this. And I unfortunately I can't talk
about it cuz it's a personnel and I
would really get chastised if I um if I
brought out anything that was said, but
I I'll put it this way. It was a pretty
picture painted and that's all I'll say
about our meeting earlier tonight. Um
but that that's where we're at on that.
I wish I could sit here and say, "Hey,
I'm going to go over there and I'm going
to straighten things out." And I think
every other council member at this table
would like to say that. We can do it.
The charter of this county dictates what
we can do and can't do.
>> If you see me having tears in my eyes
today,
when I got I never thought that um
I would have to deal with this issue
because I knew the care that people gave
my aunt,
my brother, my cousin Mary Pinket. She
stayed cousin Mary stayed two weeks. the
the staff knows all the patients whether
they work on the station or not. And
like you said, we we're all I'm getting
older. I may have to go there.
Everybody's getting older and one day
they're going to be who's going to take
care of them. Shane and Shields is
saying, "Don't mess with the white
comical nursing.
[applause]
>> Clearly something is very wrong at the
white comic nursing home. Um, you know,
in my eight years of being on the county
council, I don't think I've ever heard
comments uh that have been so poignant,
so heartfelt, and so direct. We need to
make sure that that facility stays the
best it could possibly be.
>> And there was a letter from Delegate
Sample Hughes, and it was a very good
letter. And in the middle of that, uh,
she pointed out there were six points,
suggestions that she would make. And uh
I hope these suggestions are taken uh up
uh as Joe said, it would have to be by
the executive, but I'm going to mention
three of them uh that I think are real
important. Uh annual audit,
quarterly board meeting uh meetings with
the council and maybe with the executive
as well. Uh but then the the best one is
establish I'll read this right off the
letter. establish a community-based
board of directors or advisory board
consisting of community leaders, health
care professionals, former family
members of residents, and representative
of the county council to provide
guidance and oversight. And I think
that's the most important one that if we
can put that in place tomorrow as soon
as possible then we'll start getting
back towards where we can make that uh
facility and maintain it as as as great
of a facility and institution as it has
been all along. So, I wish I could say
we we could save the world, but as Joe
said,
we don't exactly have oversight over a
lot of things, unfortunately,
but we appreciate what you do.
Three and a half years ago, right after
I was sworn in, I took a tour over
there, and it was one of the cleanest
facilities I've ever seen.
With regard back to the nursing home, I
I heard the words toxic work environment
more than once tonight.
Um, we're getting mixed messaging with
the emails we've been getting past
couple weeks and what we heard tonight.
There there's clearly a problem and
that's we should not be hearing toxic
work environment in the nursing home or
anywhere else for that matter. I thank
everybody also for being here tonight.
This is really this is what local
government is all about. It really is
and we really appreciate your presence.
I know Mary Shani and a few more of you
here in the room. I think the question
was who has the fiduciary responsibility
in reference to the nursing home. It's a
really really good question and it's one
of the first things we started
evaluating probably within the last
week. I'd have to thank Shaneie Shield.
She called me immediately terribly upset
by it and we've been trying to sort
through it once as soon as that
happened. And as Dave said, Sheree
Sample Hughes also sent an absolutely
fabulous letter as [clears throat] uh
we've had one meeting uh and then we'll
be reviewing this everything that we've
we've discussed with legal as time goes
on here and try to try to do it as
quickly as possible. The executive did
hire the director as we understand it.
The the executive has that authority.
Normally something to some degree might
require county council approval, but
that's with department heads and the
nursing home is not a department of the
county. So that's how that plays out and
that's why there's a lot of gray areas
right now. In regard to any dismissal at
this time, it's I I would have to say it
appears that that would also be within
the realm of the executive's office, not
the county council.
Welcome back to Open Agenda. Um, now
that you and we have seen uh some of the
the highlights of those comments, uh,
I'm curious to get your thoughts about
what you saw and and what you'd like to
see moving forward. Um, Mr. Jim, what
are your
>> Well, what you what you saw and heard is
very concerning uh, not only from the
employees point of view, but also from
the relatives and the family's point of
view. But I think one of the the most
disheartening things about it is what
Councilman Holloway said and all the
other council members acknowledged that
there's not anything the council can do.
This is on the executive and uh
>> but there was that one question that was
asked is there is there a fiduciary
responsibility of the council and they
didn't have an answer for that.
>> They don't have an answer. They're
they're taking that to the legal
department and and letting uh Mr.
Benson, research that and work on that.
But, you know,
the buck stops here. It's got to go to
the executive's office and it's it's got
to be made known that there are problems
out there. Now, she has stated in a uh
podcast last week that she has no
intentions of privatizing the nursing
home. Uh, I understand that there may be
a press release issue that
>> she is not entertaining the idea of
privatizing the nursing home,
>> but uh, when you look at the director's
history
>> and coming from a corporate world, I I
understand this.
when they bring somebody in
whose job is to basically turn it upside
down, shake it, and then see what's left
over at the end. Yeah.
>> I mean, these people get paid to do
this. I mean, and and she has I think
one one person who spoke last night gave
us exactly uh how many locations she has
been at in in a short period of time.
>> That was their statement. Yeah. I and
and I think that's why it it it needs
more scrutiny.
>> Yes.
>> Um obviously there was a closed session
and we don't have that information at
this time, but uh like as you said, it's
been stated that the county executive
has she has said she has no desire to
privatize or sell the nursing home,
which was one of the big concerns.
>> I just think we're going to have to
cover this later. I think it's good that
we're getting the information out there
now, but I think it's going to require
more work.
>> I am deeply concerned and frankly
appalled by some of the awful conditions
that were described by dozens of people.
Um I agree wholeheartedly that we need
to see more information come out. But I
for the record believe that the
intention at some point is to privatize
the white and and I fear in the future
um if the political situation doesn't
change in the county we may be facing
that situation. And to your point, if
you've ever read the book Confessions of
an Economic Hitman, uh there is a whole
industry that comes in, intentionally
ruins public assets, strips them, makes
them unworkable, and then privatizes
them for corporate gain. And I feel that
this is what is actually, this is my
view. I'm only speaking for myself. I
feel that this is exactly what is
happening right now at the Wcomo Nursing
Center. And
>> I think the comments reinforce that. It
it's just another example in my mind in
this county
where the executive branch creates a
problem
>> and then is going to ride in on her
white horse and solve the problem. Well,
we didn't have a problem to begin with.
>> Mhm.
>> Somebody created the problem.
>> Yeah.
>> And now somebody's going to come in and
and fix it. So, you know, when things
are when things are running smooth and
and everything's the way it should be,
the public's happy with the way things
are,
>> leave them alone.
>> We there was no problems that we were
aware of. Now, again, yes, we didn't
hear anybody say anything about it.
>> That's true. And uh and and I think that
that that needs to be stated that we
were not aware of a problem. Now, we
are. And I think this is one of the
areas that uh shows like Open Agenda do
really well. And also people just
showing up at council meetings. Yes.
Like they did in forest. You'll get more
information. We've seen this
>> time and time again the last several
years where people a lot of times don't
show up till they have a problem and
then when they're there they get more
education beyond the scope of the issue.
>> Correct.
>> And more transparency.
>> I'm looking forward to get more
information on this myself.
>> We will follow up on this issue very
soon. Thank you for tuning in and we'll
be back again in the near future with
hopefully uh some meaningful updates on
the situation at the Wcomo Nursing Home.
