Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low near 70F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low near 70F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Mark Bowman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, shows a picture of the 25-acre lot for a Veteran’s Nursing Home facility at the Kentucky Transpark while presenting concept design drawings and financial updates on the project to members of the Cumberland Trace Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America at the Bowling Green Country Club on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
Mark Bowman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, shows a picture of the 25-acre lot for a Veteran’s Nursing Home facility at the Kentucky Transpark while presenting concept design drawings and financial updates on the project to members of the Cumberland Trace Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America at the Bowling Green Country Club on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
What seemed like an insurmountable obstacle to getting a nursing home for military veterans built in Bowling Green has apparently been cleared, and a groundbreaking for the facility could happen in a matter of weeks.
To be located on a donated 25-acre parcel that is part of Kentucky Transpark property, the nursing home has been in the works for more than a decade and seemed on target for a summer groundbreaking before runaway inflation sidelined those plans.
Bids received last month for building the 60-bed facility exceeded the original $30 million estimate by about $16 million, prompting longtime nursing home proponent Malcolm Cherry to say: “We’re in limbo right now.”
It was a short stay.
The nursing home project, which had cleared such hurdles as securing federal and state funding and finding an acceptable site, has apparently cleared this one as well.
A&K Construction of Paducah, selected as contractor for the project, held a pre-construction meeting with state and local officials Tuesday at the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re working with all partners to come up with a groundbreaking in mid-September,” said Mark Bowman, executive director of the Office of Kentucky Veterans Centers. “It’s moving forward.”
Bowman and others weren’t so sure about that forward momentum last month, when there didn’t seem to be a sure source of funding the cost overrun.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved last year its $19.5 million share of the projected cost, which was added to the state’s allocation of $10.5 million to come up with what Bowman and state lawmakers thought was adequate funding for the project.
Now it seems that lawmakers and Gov. Andy Beshear may be willing to dip into the state’s budget reserve trust fund, which has grown to $1.75 billion, to make up the difference.
“The bottom line is that awarding the contract (to A&K Construction) requires the commonwealth to add about $16 million,” Bowman said. “There’s general agreement that the money will be there.”
That extra money will have to be approved by the General Assembly during its session starting in January, but Bowman said “we all have faith” that the funding will come.
That’s good news for those like state Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Brownsville, who have pushed for the nursing home for years.
“I’m excited to see this move forward,” Meredith said. “I’ve been working on it for at least seven years. I appreciate everyone working together on this to find a solution.”
The Bowling Green veterans nursing home will be the state’s fifth, adding to facilities in Wilmore, Hazard, Hanson and Radcliff.
– Follow business reporter Don Sergent on Twitter @BGDNbusiness or visit bgdailynews.com.
Just when it seemed proponents of a nursing home for military veterans in Bowling Green were nearing the finish line of their marathon-like qu…
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