Veterans, Legislators Discuss Closure of AR Veterans Home
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: July 19, 2012
Veterans from the state home in Little Rock are relocating a few at a time, as the state prepares to close the home due to maintenance problems.
Thursday, veterans and legislators spoke to KARK about the impact of the move and what could be done to provide more options for veterans.
"It's something we say a lot, we're not looking for compassion, just respect," said residents' committee chairman John Kendall. While it's a saying he says he hears often through the halls of the veterans home, he fears it isn't being honored.
"This wouldn't be happening if it was, we wouldn't be split up going in all different directions, everyone there is family," he added.
But they're being torn apart. State officials say their home is in disrepair, listing problems with the roof, plumbing, electrical, fire alarm systems they reportedly can't afford to repair.
"It's not just a home for us," said Kendall. "Some of the guys are still in shock and can't believe its happening."
State representative Jane English says it didn't have to come to this.
"The thing that's disturbing me the most about this is that we have gone through more than four budget cycles and nobody knew there was a problem," said English.
English says the former VA director approached her with a request for $7 million to put toward building a new home in 2009.
"It didn't even get out of committee. People made the decision it was not a priority item," she said.
Now, the state estimates it could cost $10 million to build a new home, but they don't know how much it would cost to repair it's current problems.
For now, the director has decided the best move is ask the veterans to find new homes, but Kendall admits he hasn't started looking.
"I'm sitting back waiting on a miracle," he said. "We love and respect one another, you can't find that just anywhere."
Here we have a list of places where some of the veterans have already moved to, some have gone to private homes, others to nursing homes around the state, including some that are rated below state care standards.
There is no deadline to close the facility. The state will close the home when every veteran has moved.
Thursday, veterans and legislators spoke to KARK about the impact of the move and what could be done to provide more options for veterans.
"It's something we say a lot, we're not looking for compassion, just respect," said residents' committee chairman John Kendall. While it's a saying he says he hears often through the halls of the veterans home, he fears it isn't being honored.
"This wouldn't be happening if it was, we wouldn't be split up going in all different directions, everyone there is family," he added.
But they're being torn apart. State officials say their home is in disrepair, listing problems with the roof, plumbing, electrical, fire alarm systems they reportedly can't afford to repair.
"It's not just a home for us," said Kendall. "Some of the guys are still in shock and can't believe its happening."
State representative Jane English says it didn't have to come to this.
"The thing that's disturbing me the most about this is that we have gone through more than four budget cycles and nobody knew there was a problem," said English.
English says the former VA director approached her with a request for $7 million to put toward building a new home in 2009.
"It didn't even get out of committee. People made the decision it was not a priority item," she said.
Now, the state estimates it could cost $10 million to build a new home, but they don't know how much it would cost to repair it's current problems.
For now, the director has decided the best move is ask the veterans to find new homes, but Kendall admits he hasn't started looking.
"I'm sitting back waiting on a miracle," he said. "We love and respect one another, you can't find that just anywhere."
Here we have a list of places where some of the veterans have already moved to, some have gone to private homes, others to nursing homes around the state, including some that are rated below state care standards.
There is no deadline to close the facility. The state will close the home when every veteran has moved.
Comments
Prime example of just how Arkansas thinks of their Verterans...... not a priority.......
Bill F.
July 20, 2012 at 3:29 pm
