Grafton County is fortunate to have employees who are truly dedicated to their jobs and to the people of our county that rely upon them for care. This year’s Annual Report was dedicated to the employees of the Grafton County Nursing Home and Administrative Building as well as the nursing home residents who endured “the 2014/2015 renovation project.” Fiscal year 2015 was certainly challenge after challenge for this segment of the staff as well as the residents of the nursing home. The Commissioners recognize that this has been a disruption to daily lives of many people and we are so grateful to our staff, the residents and their families for working with us during this time.
In April, 2014, it was determined that significant life safety work was going to need to be done in the older section of the Grafton County Nursing Home. This building contains two units: Maple and Profile where 75 residents live in these communities. As we began to investigate our options we knew that we were going to have to move residents out of those areas in order to do the work that was required. It was suggested “why don’t we move residents back into the 1930’s building for the duration of the renovations, it did used to be the nursing home.”
The Commissioners’ office, the Human Service Office and the IT department had to relocate their offices to the basement of the Administration Building. In September, 2014, the moving began and by the end of the month the upper floor of the 30’s building was vacant and the affected staff was settling into the new space. The maintenance and the nursing home staff spent the next month preparing the floor to become the new home for 30 of our residents.
Through tremendous work, amazing teamwork and cooperation, it all came together and at the beginning of November 2014, 30 residents and staff began to occupy the upstairs of the 30’s building just as they had many years ago. This project took much longer than anyone anticipated and the disruptions to everyone’s daily work routines were tremendous and really the only way that everyone had gotten through it was by working together as a team.
It is with great pride that the Grafton County Commissioners dedicate the 2015 Annual Report to all our staff and residents who have endured “the 2014/2015 renovation project.” You have all been tested and have risen to the challenge and made the impossible possible.
“Coming together is the beginning; keeping it together is progress; working together is success.”