CMH lands loan; nursing home down to 9 patients

by C.F. David

The board of Cimarron Memorial Hospital met on Tuesday with a loan officer from Clayton, New Mexico’s Farmer-Stockman Bank and signed a note for a loan that could give the facility much needed breathing room.

The loan will fold in an existing loan so that only one loan will be active.

Board Chairman Matt Roberts said the facility is still in negotiations with the Internal Revenue Service over unpaid payroll taxes but that the loan should take care of that problem with money left over.

“We are still talking to them about possibly reducing interest and penalties, ”said Vice-Chair Paul Toon.

Roberts said as far as they know the state Health Authority still hasn’t contacted the hospital with an alternative to closing the nursing home on July 14.

“I assume they are working on options,” Toon said.

Asked if the loan money left over will ease things for the hospital, Roberts said, “Yes.” I think with the way Dave, (CEO Dave Peyok), is doing the Cost Reports we’ll be OK because this is bringing up the reimbursements.”

Asked if July 14 is still the target date to close the nursing home, Roberts said, “Yes. If we can just get this past business, (IRS problems, etc.), taken care of, I think we can run the way we want to.”

As of Tuesday, June 19, the nursing home had nine residents, with most of their families making plans to move by July 14.