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LANSING, MICH. - After spending a little more than a year as the top
leader at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, CEO Leslie Shanlian says
she's had enough of the government bureaucracy hurting care for our most
vulnerable veterans.
"It took me almost a year to get mattresses in for our members," Shanlian said.
Shanlian is leaving the state government,
moving to the private sector. Her departure comes at a critical
juncture for the employees and veterans at the Grand Rapids Home for
Veterans.
Shanlian is pulling for state lawmakers to pass
legislation by the end of the year, which would create the "Michigan
Veterans Facility Authority": a new governmental organization that would
have broad powers to run the two veterans' homes in Michigan.
"It's
more frustrating dealing with road blocks and loopholes to accomplish
something for the veterans when you know it could be much more simply
done with an authority or the private sector," Shanlian said.
More: Watchdog Team obtains scathing audit that shows numerous problems at Grand Rapids Home for Veterans
Related: Inadequate care at GR veterans home amid shakeup; New questions regarding changes at GR Home for Veterans
Union
leaders are telling us, though, they are very concerned about the
creation of this authority. They believe if the new governmental entity
is established, it would attempt to hire people without using civil
service rules. Labor leaders say they believe the Grand Rapids Home for
Veterans will be much smaller, potentially meaning as many as 200
layoffs.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and James Redford, the director
of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, both told WZZM layoffs are not
on the table and the move to create the authority isn't meant to get
rid of union workers.
"It's not in terms of busting up unions, it's about looking at an authority and best practices," Snyder told the Watchdog team.
"The
bill that I've read doesn't say there are going to be layoffs," Redford
said. "It doesn't say anything other than it's going to design a system
to provide best possible and most responsive care to our veterans
because this is our goal."
MVAA spokeswoman Suzanne Thelen told us
it's likely there will be a reduction in the workforce at the Grand
Rapids Home for Veterans, though, through attrition and retirements. She
says the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans will likely be a 120-bed
facility after everything is changed.
To add some space, the state is hoping to build a new home in southeast Michigan.
The
Senate fiscal committee indicated there have been estimates that a new
facility could be built in Detroit housing 125 veterans for a cost of
$82 million, approximately $53 million would come from the federal
government. There are also plans to build a new facility in Grand Rapids
at the current Home for Veterans site for a cost of $70 million, with
$45 million coming from the federal government.
Lawmakers are
racing to get the legislation done before the end of this term. If they
don't complete it, they'll need to start from scratch in 2017.
There's a pending deadline of April to get requests into the federal government for the money.
Shanlian
said veterans shouldn't be scared of the changes coming because she
says the facilities will be able to operate in a more patient-centered
environment. As for the employees, she said high performers will always
be retained.
"If you're a good employee, you have nothing to worry about," Shanlian said
Ed note: I told you she left for reasons of dealing with the bloated bureaucracy.. turns out I was right.
