Officials discuss veteran’s home

By KATIE MATZ
During a meeting hosted by the Belmont County Commissioners Friday afternoon, the state legislatures and county government representatives discussed the possibilities of the development of a Veteran’s home within the county.

Commissioners have already vowed to donate 35 acres of land outside of Barnesville for the construction of the project, which is to be funded by state money.

Two such homes currently exist within Ohio in Sandusky and Georgetown; the state government, per Ohio Revised Code, has the availability to fund five such facilities within the state making the Belmont County hopeful the third.

In the county there are 6,500 veterans with 60,000 more within a 75 mile radius.

After learning the numbers of veterans in Belmont County, Commission Vice President Charles Probst said that a facility is not only necessary now, but also will serve veterans of the future.

“Commissioners are committed,” Probst said. “Our legislatures are a key component in seeing this project to completion.”

A state home is owned and operated by the state. The Department of Veterans Affairs assures Congress that state facilities provide quality care through inspections, audits and reconciliation of records conducted by the state home program managers and the VA medical center of jurisdiction.

Residents of the state home receive standard or special care and may enjoy such amenities as libraries, barber and beauty shops, gift shops, laundry units, and physical therapy rooms.

State homes will also provide a full-time staff of physicians, registered nursed, licensed practical nurses, and state tested nurses aids.

“We’re a little mini city,” George Kinney, deputy superintendent of Ohio Veterans’ Home, said.

To be eligible, residents must have been a citizen of Ohio for five years and a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces, who were honorable discharged. Veterans must have served on active duty during a war or been a recipient of the Purple Heart, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, or Southwest Asia Service Medal. Residents must also be disabled by disease, wounds or incapable of earning a living.

The meeting was the first step toward this development, commissioners said.

“’We’ve got everything, with the help of the commissioners, lined up and ready to go,” Al Parker, president of District 8 Veterans Service Commission, said.

Matz may be reached at kmatz@timeleaderonline.com