Chair of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors, Neil Bock, said he received a call from Mallard View on April 28, with a request to lower the monthly rent from $2,000 to $1,000. Mallard View Administrator, Shari Kitt, and Administrative Assistant, Stacey Peter, told Bock census in the 47-capacity facility is down to 32 residents, which is short of their break-even point of 36 residents. The discussion turned to the future of Mallard View, addressing the declining referrals and regulation changes that are placing their residents into the community. Bock said the bigger part of the discussion was regarding the possibilities of changing to an assisted living or nursing home facility, or in changing to something even more dramatically different.
The Mallard View board will be meeting next week and will cover these ideas at that meeting. The supervisors will be informed of the outcome of that conversation, but the more pressing issue right now is whether the Carroll County Board of Supervisors would approve a rent reduction. Supervisor Mark Beardmore voiced his opinion.
Beardmore added, the supervisors want to see Mallard View’s mission continue and perpetuate. The decisions made by the supervisors will greatly impact that future, but he would like more details and to meet with them before making a decision.
Supervisor Dean Schettler suggested representation from the county seek an invitation to the private Mallard View board meeting. Bock agreed, saying it would be better for everyone to have more information on the exploration of the available options. The current lease is on a month-by-month basis, which provides the flexibility to make adjustments to lowering the rent during a transition period and to raise it again if changes are made that increase revenues.
