A 5-year Certificate of Need to build a new, state-of-the-art nursing home to replace the aging, 120-bed Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on the campus of Geer Village Senior Community in North Canaan has expired.
“The project became no longer feasible.”
— Shaun Powell, CEO/CFO of Geer Village
NORTH CANAAN — A five-year effort by Geer Village Senior Community to either build a new, state-of-the-art nursing home or renovate its existing, aging facility has ended with the expiration of its $22.5 million Certificate of Need, issued in 2018 by the state Department of Social Services.
Although the original certificate was valid through July 2023, Geer was granted a five-month extension to the end of 2023 to either re-apply as is or with modifications.
Christine Stuart, Department of Social Services deputy director of communications, confirmed last week there are currently “no CONs pending for Geer. The one they had pending expired in 2023 and they have not resubmitted.”
Shaun Powell, Geer’s CEO/CFO, said devastating fallout from the global pandemic, including rising construction costs, supply chain issues and a decline in consumer demand which “decimated the long-term care industry” contributed to Geer’s decision to scuttle both the original plan to construct a new nursing home on the campus or to renovate its aging 120-bed facility.
The original, two-phase project was being supported through a $2.2 million grant from the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to cover costs for design work and architectural plans.
Under the original proposal, the new 80,000 square foot nursing facility would have been situated on the southern 45 acre portion of the North Canaan campus.
Phase Two called for converting the original nursing home into 30 affordable residences similar to the one-bedroom apartments currently offered at Beckley House on campus.
“We were close to shovel ready,” Powell said. “We started the design phase as the pandemic unfolded” and the quest to obtain HUD financing was underway. Supply chain issues, said the Geer administrator, raised the cost of the project by about 20%.
“HUD requires guaranteed maximum pricing,” Powell said. “However, supply chain issues prohibited vendors from offering that, so the project became no longer feasible.”
Dispelling rumors of a sale
In recent years, Geer Village has downsized its assets, including the liquidation of most of its real estate holdings.
“Being a landlord is not the nature of our business,” said Powell, noting that “the entire nursing home industry is in consolidation.”
In fall of 2020, during the height of the pandemic, Geer also permanently shuttered its Adult Day Center after 42 years of providing seniors across Northwest Connecticut with an alternative to more expensive home care.
Powell dispelled recent rumors which surface periodically that Geer is looking to sell its operations.
“As of right now, Geer is not actively seeking to sell but is pursuing marketing collaboration to increase campus census and get the word out about available services,” the Geer CEO explained.
The current campus census is in the 70% to 73% range, he said, slightly lower than the state average.
Connecticut’s nursing home occupancy rate has been declining in recent years.
According to OPM statistics, after a sharp decrease in occupancy from 2019 to 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the average nursing facility occupancy rate in Connecticut was 84% as of Sept. 30, 2023.
Future plans hinge on pending state report
Powell did not rule out the future possibility of a scaled-down renovation focusing on a reconfiguration of nursing home rooms and available beds at the circa 1969 facility.
“Connecticut is currently re-evaluating the geographic long-term bed capacity across the state,” he said. “The results will in part drive ultimate bed capacity.”
Future changes in bed capacity and/or major building modifications, he said, would require a new certificate from the state.
“Any structural changes would be confined to the current footprint of the building,” he said.
At the time of Geer’s $22.5 million certificate, the nonprofit organization also received a $2.2 million grant from the state OPM for design work on the original construction project.
According to OPM spokesman Chris Collibee, the Nonprofit Grant Program is 100% reimbursement based, so no entity receives funding for work not already completed.
“Geer was awarded $2.2 million but only received $802,343.61 and never drew down the remaining $1,397,656.39,” said Collibee. “That amount was unencumbered and part of the total $35.5 million made available to fund Round 9 of NGP.
Geer Village is a nonprofit organization encompassing five 501(c)(3) entities: Geer Village Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Geer Village Lodge, Geer Village Corporation, Geer Village Beckley House and Geer Village Foundation.
HVRHS sophomore Ryan Segalla went three-for-three May 17 with Berkshire League gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m races. He was also on the gold-winning 4x400m relay team.
Berkshire League track and field wrapped up a season of competition with the league finals in Litchfield May 17. The BL festival followed with decathlon, heptathlon, steeplechase and hammer in Falls Village May 20 and Thomaston May 21.
The events included athletes from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Gilbert School, Lakeview High School, Nonnewaug High School, Northwestern Regional High School, Shepaug Valley High School, Terryville High School and Thomaston High School.
In the gold medal tally, Nonnewaug led with 12 golds, Housatonic won 10, Northwestern won six, Thomaston won six, Lakeview won five and Shepaug won three.
For Housatonic, Senior Mia Dodge won the girls 300m hurdles.
Mia DodgePhoto by Riley Klein
Sophomore Ryan Segalla won the boys 100m, 200m and 400m races.
Senior Kyle McCarron won the boys 800m and 1600m races.
The boys 4x400m relay team of Anthony Labbadia, Patrick Money, Kyle McCarron and Ryan Segalla won gold.
Junior Anthony Labbadia won the boys triple jump by a margin of more than three feet. He also earned second place in the boys 400m race.
Senior Patrick Money won the decathlon.
Senior Gabi Titone won the steeplechase. Junior Olivia Brooks took bronze.
The girls 4x400m relay team of Mckenzie Lotz, Harper Howe, Mia Dodge and Maddy Johnson took silver. The same team took bronze in the 4x100m relay.
Harper Howe took silver in the girls 400m race.
Gabi Titone took silver in the girls 800m race.
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S state track and field meet will be held in New Britain on June 2.
Patrick Money
Photo by Riley Klein
Lime Rock Park is slated to host the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Friday and Saturday, June 26 to 28, in Lime Rock, Connecticut.
SALISBURY — First Selectman Curtis Rand agreed to sign approvals for changes in traffic patterns and a “hauler parade” for Lime Rock Park’s NASCAR event June 26 to 28 after a lengthy and detailed discussion at a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen Wednesday, May 21.
Lime Rock Park is hosting a weekend of NASCAR events. In anticipation of a larger than usual crowd, park leadership has asked to have one-way traffic on Route 112 — Lime Rock Road — from the junction of Route 7 and Route 112 to White Hollow Road and the main track entrance between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and one-way traffic in the opposite direction between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28.
On Thursday, June 26, there will be a hauler parade. The trucks will form up at Salisbury School and proceed west on Route 44 starting at 4:30 p.m., with state police cars in the lead and bringing up the rear. Westbound traffic on Route 44 will be stopped as the parade gets underway.
Rand expressed frustration with many aspects of the plans. He was critical of park leadership for setting up arrangements with local businesses for the parade prior to coming to the town for a discussion.
Selectman Chris Williams said Lime Rock Park should have come to the town considerably earlier than the first notification a couple of weeks ago.
Selectman Kitty Kiefer said she has not heard anything positive from anyone she has talked to about the plans.
Lime Rock Park President Dicky Riegel and facility safety director Tom Burke, a retired State Police sergeant with Troop B, answered the questions and criticisms as they came.
Burke said there will be 30 state troopers both along the roads and at the track, and there will be 11 variable message boards deployed to alert motorists several days ahead of the events.
Asked why park representatives had not sent out plans to their immediate neighbors, Riegel said they couldn’t do that until they had an approval. With approval, the track will publicize the information about the traffic flow and the parade.
Riegel also apologized for not coming to the town sooner.
Public comment was uniformly negative.
After an hour or so, Rand asked the selectmen for their opinions.
Kiefer said she would deny both requests.
Williams said he would approve them but reiterated his earlier criticisms.
Rand made up his mind.
“I will sign these.” He said he was “going on good faith.”
“But if it comes up again I might easily say no.”
TORRINGTON — USA Waste & Recycling’s $3.25 million offer to purchase the Torrington Transfer Station was conditionally accepted by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority Dissolution Authority at a meeting of its board of directors May 14.
Torrington Transfer Station was one of two facilities in the state, along with Essex Transfer Station, that was still owned by MIRA-DA following the closure of the Hartford trash-to-energy plant in 2022. Municipalities in these service areas were given until July 1, 2027, to establish alternative solid waste contracts.
The Northwest Hills Council of Governments has been working for more than a year to create a regional resource authority using the Torrington Transfer Station as a central hub for hauling. This public option was approved by MIRA-DA with a non-binding agreement in February 2025 and NHCOG expected to take over the facility by June 30, 2025.
The expense to MIRA-DA over the next two years for the public option was estimated by its board members at $2.9 million.
Days before a scheduled public hearing May 19 in Torrington to finalize the formation of the Northwest Regional Resource Authority, MIRA-DA accepted an offer from USA and entered into a term sheet for the private company to purchase the transfer station.
During public comment of the May 14 board meeting, numerous leaders from the Northwest Corner urged MIRA-DA to reconsider the private sale.
Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone spoke of the risks that exist when municipalities lose local control. “We have every confidence that the public option is the most responsible way to control costs.” She continued, “We stand at the ready to proceed with the establishment of this regional waste authority.”
Sharon First Selectman Casey Flanagan said, “The short-term financial implication for MDA may be unbalanced in the two proposals, but the public option will ensure price stability for the Northwest Corner towns for many years.” He said the private sale to USA would likely eliminate any hope for a public option in the future. “I can’t see another facility being permitted and we would be beholden to whoever the incumbent is.”
"This whole process has been extremely discouraging," said Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand. "I thought that the money partly came from us as 30- and 40-year members of MIRA, from our taxpayers. It's not from the state as far as I know."
“Maintaining the status quo in Torrington with the transfer station is the way to go,” as evidenced by the unified voice of leaders in the region, said North Canaan First Selectman Brian Ohler. “If [USA is] given the chance to purchase that Torrington Transfer Station, they now own the entire trash cycle from residential pickup, commercial pickup, streetside pickup to the hauling and now owning the transfer station.”
Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway noted, "I think most people up here would like to see competition. Have options. If things are privatized those options decrease."
Falls Village First Selectman Dave Barger echoed the sentiments of his colleagues and emphasized the importance of public oversight. “I am concerned about the accountability and transparency and I think a public option keeps that alive.”
In support of the sale, Todd Arcelaschi, mayor of Winchester, explained his town opted out of the regional effort earlier this year in an effort to “blaze our path forward with municipal solid waste disposal.” He said the public option has gotten more expensive every year, from $86 per ton in 2019 to $130 per ton in 2025. “These costs are back breaking,” he said. “We need to keep those fees reasonable.”
Edward Spinella, attorney representing USA, said, “MIRA Dissolution Authority is to do two things: Have an orderly transition of the transfer station and, two, preserve assets and reserves. Our proposal does both of those things.”
Spinella continued, “This MIRA Dissolution Authority is not a regulator. It’s not for you to decide whether or not USA or any other company has too much market control.”
Following public comment, MIRA-DA board members entered into a nearly four-hour executive session. The board unanimously accepted the term sheet from USA.
Board member Michael Looney said, “This decision today is a difficult one given the many different interests that this board needs to balance.”
He said MIRA-DA requires the funds from the sale to “pay toward ameliorating our longstanding environmental impacts from our legacy of solid waste management.”
“We do need to recognize the fiscal and environmental benefits of having a larger amount of funds in the MDA reserve fund,” Looney said.
In its decision, MIRA-DA approved up to $50,000 to reimburse NHCOG for its legal fees accrued while developing the previous agreement.
Despite the setback, the City of Torrington held its public hearing for the formation of the Northwest Regional Resource Authority on May 19.
Per the minutes of the hearing, Raymond Drew, director of public works for Torrington, stated that establishing the NRRA offers long-term benefits for both the City and the broader region. He emphasized that it remains a worthwhile initiative, even though the City will not own any of the facilities.
In a follow up conversation May 21, Ohler said he is still in favor of a public option and NHCOG is planning a special meeting to discuss what comes next.
Joan Anderson Turnure, 91, died after a long illness on May 3, 2025, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, CT. She was the loving widow of Michael DeBurbure Turnure.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Church in Salisbury on June 1, at 1:00PM, followed by a reception at The White Hart Inn.
To view the whole obituary please visit www.kennyfuneralhomes.com.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
