Island Nursing Home leaders press towns for emergency funding as long‑term financials remain unclear

Representatives for the Island Nursing Home (INH) again asked Stonington selectmen for assistance to restart or sustain the facility.

At multiple meetings INH representatives, including Skip Greenlaw and Leon Weed, described staffing and financial shortfalls and asked the towns for help. Greenlaw told the board they were seeking $100,000 from towns to restart INH as residential care and acknowledged the facility faces a broader deficit question. The transcript records discussion of a larger funding gap — one estimate cited $700,000 to "keep the beds" and maintain skilled nursing capacity — though INH representatives did not present fully detailed, audited financial statements at the meetings.

Town Manager Billings told the board any municipal contribution would need a formal town meeting petition and warned the board that the town could not appropriate funds without that process. Selectmen asked INH leaders for clearer, up‑to‑date financials and for a petition process to place a funding question before voters.

Selectmen and attendees also discussed housing as part of the solution, with talk of the towns coordinating to provide housing units for staff to help address staffing shortfalls. The board did not record a vote to appropriate funds; minutes indicate requests were discussed and future informational steps were requested of the INH leadership.

Next procedural step: INH was encouraged to produce detailed financial documents and, if warranted, file a petition for a town meeting appropriation so voters may decide.