Plans for privatization are eliminating any concerns for conflict of interest at Quadco Rehabilitation Center (QRC). Executive Director Bruce Abell told QRC board members that the administrative attorney in Columbus that they had hired to research the situation and review the reorganization with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities recently sent a letter with his conclusions to each of the superintendents of the four county boards of developmental disabilities and the county prosecuting attorneys.
The letter from John Herbert of the firm of Blaugrund Kessler Myers & Postalakis mentions that Senate Bill 169 that created the county boards of developmental disabilities was not effective until after Quadco had been formed.
He also noted that the four county boards of DD played no role in the QRC board formation and that none of the bodies was ever a member of the Administrative Board.
Mr. Abell pointed out that Deb Guilford, the superintendent of the Williams County Board of Developmental Disabilities, discussed the letter with their board members at their meeting on Monday. She said that from the information in the report there was no conflict of interest and the matter is closed for them.
Recent waiver rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services no longer allow county boards to refer people to services they themselves offer, so they do not create a conflict of interest situation.
Mr. Abell had mentioned in prior meetings that some people believe since QRC has had a long relationship with the four county boards that, if the boards referred people to QRC for services, it could be construed as a conflict of interest.
He had sought the legal opinion to alleviate any concerns about the matter.
He also noted that since many county boards around the state are privatizing their services to eliminate the conflict of interest issue he felt that QRC should take the extra step of doing the same to put any concerns to rest.
However, he emphasized that the people receiving services from QRC will see no changes and notice no difference in their services as a result of privatizing.
Jim Rensi from the Certified Public Accounting firm of Luderman and Konst in Defiance presented the 2014 audit. He told the board members the combined audit report of the Administrative division and the Non-Profit operation was an “unmodified, clean opinion according to generally accepted auditing standards and government auditing standards.”
Community Club members at QRC have been visiting area county fairs the past several weeks. Program Manager Shannon Zellers said the members look forward to getting to see the fairs each year.
She also reported that members of the Senior Activity Center attended a senior network day at Henry County where they got to see a variety of reptiles during a special program.
Zellers mentioned that aside from the activities, there has been a plentiful supply of work that has kept the participants busy.
Sharon von Seggern, manager of Northwest Employment Services reported that two people who have been working at the Subway® Restaurants have found jobs in the community.
A new partially-automated machine that builds cardboard pallets is almost ready according to Program Director Philip Zuver. He said safety guarding and the computer programming will be added to the machine this week.
The machine will be used to respond to the growing amount of orders for the cardboard pallets produced by the center.
Zuver said he expects the machine will be operational at Northwest Products in Archbold next month.
Bill Priest, director of marketing, reported that the annual Halloween party with a dance is being planned for the afternoon of October 30.
The next regular meeting of the QRC board members will be October 27 at noon in the Stryker conference room.
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