NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Residents and employees of the Nashville Community Care and Rehabilitation at Bordeaux long-term care facility are being forced to find a new place to live and work.
But during Thursday night's Metro City Council meeting, employees handed over a petition asking city officials to step in and stop the closure of the Bordeaux facility.
"It’s kind of different to see our residents living or wherever they may go, it’s different, it’s different now because y’all are basically destroying our family," said CNA, Letia Rolland.
Employee after employee walked up to the microphone at the Music City Center with the same message to save it.
Signature HealthCARE currently operates the facility. It is set to close its doors on Jan. 1 when its contract with the city ends.
"Some of them have been there 20-years, 30 years plus; some of them it’s the only family they know," said Alicia Halliburton, CNA.
City officials say no one has submitted a bid to take over the property. That's why employees started a petition asking the mayor and the city to find a solution to keep the doors open.
"Moving them from a place that they're familiar with at this particular time, I think is not a great idea," said Halliburton.
Council member Jonathan Hall says council passed a budget allocating money to keep the long-term care facility open last year. He asked the Mayor to release those funds and for Metro General Hospital to step in to operate. He's also filing legislation for CARES ACT dollars to help as well.
"This is an absolute disgrace that we're even having this conversation," said Hall.
Everyone here says moving some of the city's most vulnerable people during a global pandemic is reckless and dangerous.
"It’s not about the job, I can walk out here today and get a job as a nursing assistant, it’s about the residents," said Halliburton.
Councilman Hall's proposal to help save the facility is expected to be heard by the council in two weeks.
