October 26, 2022 – Washington Co., WI – Residents at the Samaritan Home are concerned about their future as they praise hardworking staff, family caregivers and lean into their faith and each other to keep their spirits while county government determines their fate.
Deb Anderson is a former West Bend alderwoman and a member of the Samaritan Task Force which was given the responsibility in 2019 to look for options on how to resolve issues facing the Samaritan Home.
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“I know it’s a tough situation, I don’t know of a magic solution but if there is a possibility to keep it in Washington County, I think it would be really important,” said Anderson.
There was a County Board meeting October 12, 2022 where the board voted: Update and Possible Action on Samaritan Campus 34 Moved by Ms. Gurath, seconded by Ms. Krueger-Gundrum to direct the County Board Chair to 35 form an ad hoc committee to study options for the Samaritan, and report findings to the Human Services Committee no later than January 31, 2023.
There was a comment made during the meeting that Lasata in Cedarburg, WI was equal distance for those who traveled to the Samaritan Home in West Bend, WI.
Anderson said, that wasn’t true as not everyone at the Samaritan Home lives in West Bend, Wi.
“I know it’s not real far from West Bend to go to Lasata Senior Living Campus (in Cedarburg, WI) but we’re not talking about just people in West Bend,” said Anderson. “There are people in Hartford and Slinger, Kewaskum, Germantown… so I mean people are from all over Washington County not just West Bend. I’d love to see it stay in some way but money’s what talks.”
A Google map search showed Lasata Senior Living in Cedarburg was:
– 23 minutes/16.2 miles by car from West Bend.
– 30 minutes/25 miles by car from Kewaskum
– 29 minutes/20.5 miles by car from Hartford
– 16 minutes / 10.4 miles by car from Germantown
Click HERE as families fear loss of time with loved ones if
Samaritan Home leaves
Bette Koch visits her husband Bill at the Samaritan Home. She has driving limitations. “I can maneuver around West Bend but don’t like to drive out of town,” she said. “In winter and in the dark, driving to Cedarburg to see him would be impossible for me.”
Questioned why Anderson felt it was important for people at the Samaritan Home in Washington County to remain close to family, she said that personal contact with family and friends and their local faith makes a big difference.
“I’m involved with some of the people who are over at the RCAC and I have seen the difference it makes when they don’t see their relatives and when they do, and the element of depression and isolation are death making,” Anderson said.
“I really believe that having the opportunity to be near their family and not just their biological families, many of these people have lived and worked here and they have connections to their churches, to their friends and if you move them out of the county, they won’t have access to those things.”
On October 12, 2022 the Washington County Board voted 18-2 with one abstaining, to form an ad hoc committee to study options for the Samaritan Home. Multiple calls have been placed to County Board Chairman Jeff Schleif to find who has been appointed to the committee. As of the publishing of this article, no calls have been returned. The names on the committee have also not been listed on the agenda; the first meeting is slated for Wednesday, October 26, 2022. The agenda is below.
Calls and written requests have also been made to sit down for a one-on-one interview with the newly appointed administrator of the Samaritan Home, Matt Furno. So far, no luck so another request was made in writing Friday, October 21, 2022.
Past leadership in Washington County, including the namesake of the county’s Herbert J. Tennies Government Center, said the taxpayers have the right to the Samaritan Home.”
Former Washington County Board chairman Herb Tennies: The taxpayers deserve the right to have the Samaritan Home. If the county has to take care of the people who have paid taxes all their years and have had bad times, they should have a place to go and be taken care of and most taxpayers in the county would agree with that.
Former Washington County Supervisor (1992 – 2008) Maurice (Maury) Strupp said he has been visiting his uncle at the Samaritan Home. “I don’t think the building is that bad. If they do anything the county should be using sales tax money and not try to get money from the state.”
Former Washington County Clerk and County Board Supervisor (2008 – 2020) Marilyn Merten said the Samaritan Home is very important to Washington County. “We do a lot for everybody we better be thinking of doing something for our people who are needing therapy and those who cannot live alone anymore.”
Do you think the Samaritan Home is needed in Washington County?
Since my Samaritan Home resident Grandmother passed away, I haven’t known what goes on there.
I hope we will see a positive resolution for the Washington County people involved.
From 1996 into 2020, Washington County collected 0.1% sales tax for the construction of Miller Park.
I do not believe this became a ballot issue.
I never attended a Brewers game in that span.
Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha and Racine counties collected $605 million from the sales tax.
What portion was Washington county, I don’t know, but it was substantial.
My opinion is that was money ill spent.
We face our own county needs.
Doesn’t seem right to me?