PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island officials announced Thursday they’ll cut costs at the state veterans home and adopt other recommendations from a team that reviewed the operations.
The Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services said the team, led by members of the Rhode Island National Guard, recommended renegotiating the home’s housekeeping contract, reining in overtime and taking other steps to cut costs.
The office also announced that Paul Murgo was chosen to serve as the home’s temporary administrator because of his health care administration experience. He replaces Rick Baccus, who resigned in January.
Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo said in December that she was disappointed with the home’s management and ordered the review. The home was projecting a nearly $3 million deficit and the House speaker called for more legislative oversight.
The veterans home opened in Bristol, Rhode Island, in 2017, replacing a home at the same site that was half the size.
Raimondo has said that the budget didn’t fully account for the fact that it’s more expensive to clean and maintain a larger home, but there were other areas where managers were to blame for cost overruns.
State employees will be temporarily assigned to help the home implement recommended management policies and use management software.
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