rio arriba county wants to build new senior nursing facility

Roughly a year after a privately-run senior nursing facility in Rio Arriba County closed its doors, county officials are hoping that voters will approve a $12 million bond in next week’s election to build an entirely new center.

The Espanola Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center went out of business after its parent company, the Plano, Texas-based Preferred Care Partners filed for bankruptcy. 

There is a need for at least one nursing facility in Rio Arriba, but an argument has been aired that a county-run center would also be more accountable to the county commission.

Several months ago, members of the Rio Arriba County Commission voted in favor of putting on the November ballot a question proposing the construction of a new nursing center to be paid for through a general obligation bond.

According to Rio Arriba documents, the bond would be specifically geared for the purpose of “planning, designing, construction, and equipping a skilled nursing and rehabilitation hospital in the county.”

A site near Industrial Park Road in Espanola has already been selected for the new facility.

By Garry Boulard

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