DeKalb County nursing home board to name new administrator

DeKALB – A new administrator for the DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center is set to be approved Thursday afternoon.

The DeKalb County Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Operating Board will vote on the matter during its meeting scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday at the nursing home’s multipurpose room, 2600 N. Annie Glidden Road.

Gary Winschel, director of fiscal services for Performance Management Associates, which manages the nursing home, said a specific person will be named as the new administrator at the Thursday meeting but would not provide a name or other information beforehand. He said he thinks bringing in this particular administrator and their ideas will provide stability for the nursing home and a better environment for residents, families and employees.

“We’re very excited to bring a strong candidate to take over as administrator and drive our facility into the future,” Winschel said.

The pending announcement comes after one woman was interviewed by the board during executive session at a Feb. 4 meeting, but board members declined to name her, or any other applicants. Winschel had said the board has fielded 12 to 15 applications for the position and shortened the list down from there.

The meeting also comes after former administrator Bart Becker was no longer employed at the facility after Sept. 19 and after a special board meeting held at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 19.

Winschel said bringing in the new administrator also will help with ongoing issues including base pay for nursing home workers and competition between in-house staff and workers from temporary employer agencies.

“We have to look at and try to come up with a solution to stabilize our staff among different competitive elements that are within the marketplace,” Winschel said.