Cleburne hospital board nixes contract with nursing home's food services provider

March 23--HEFLIN -- The Cleburne County Hospital Board on Thursday voted unanimously to terminate the contract the Cleburne County Nursing Home has with a food services company.

Cleburne County Nursing Home administrator Tony Culberson said the nursing home can save money by running the food services themselves for the residents and provide better food.

Culberson said there have been complaints from the residents and staff about the quality and temperature of the food.

"If you ask the residents, they are not happy; the sponsors are not happy, the staff -- very few eat in the dining room because they're not happy," Culberson said.

The contract was with Mobile-based Felder Services.

Culberson wants freshly baked rolls made before each meal, chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs and more appealing traditional Southern cuisine.

Culberson said the current contract employees can't afford health insurance and receive no life insurance, sick leave or holidays.

The employees have suffered and that bridge has gotten further and further between our regular employees and the co-workers that are working right in the same building," Culberson said.

Culberson said he will meet with all the current contract employees and they can be hired as new employees with benefits.

"All of us look at our residents as extremely special and this gives us an opportunity to do something for them at the same time making 19 employees lives 100 percent better," Culberson said.

Culberson also said he is going to get quotes for a new backup generator for the nursing home and a patient call system/alert for the new Alzheimer's wing.

Culberson said during the storms Monday night, the current backup generator kept quitting.

The board discussed refinancing the mortgage for the nursing home. Several banks had sent proposals the board will study. The board is also considering a line of credit for replacing the roof and building a new parking lot.

Board member Dan Hopkins said he is getting estimates for the new roof for the nursing home and said he would prefer the contractor to be from Cleburne County. Various estimates ranged from $116,000 to $175,000. Hopkins said it would take about two weeks for the new roof to be installed.

Staff writer and photographer Bill Wilson: 256-235-3544. On Twitter: @BWilson_Star

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