Crawford Council Approves One-Time $16K Subsidy From Keno For Ponderosa Villa Water

    The Crawford City Council has adopted one of the suggestions made at a recent public meeting on how it can help the financially-strapped Ponderosa Villa Nursing Home and Assisted Living Center.

     The Council Tuesday night agreed to use $16,000 from the city’s Keno revenue to subsidize the Villa’s water bill this year.

     Mayor Connie Shell emphasizes that while the city wants to see Ponderosa Villa remain open, it has a responsibility to all Crawford residents to remain solvent in all its operations – including the water system – with the $16,000 from Keno a one-time deal.

     Ponderosa Villa is owned by the City of Crawford and operated by an independent board, which has contracted with Nebraska-based Rural Health Development for management services including the Villa administrator.

     The current administrator gave her notice last month and has since accepted another position while RHD gave the city a required 60-day contract termination notice. Both cited too much uncertainty over long-term city support.

     Mayor Shell and several Villa board members said at the public meeting they would try to convince RHD to continue the management agreement for at least 6 months while other options are explored.