Ypsilanti officials find $600,000 in forgotten funds for local health care
Nearly $600,000 in funds dedicated to the health care needs of Ypsilanti residents was left in a bank account and forgotten about for several years.
After a concerned resident recently questioned what happened to the funds and brought it to the attention of city officials, the money was transferred to the Ann Arbor Community Area Foundation’s Ypsilanti Community Fund and will be distributed through grants.
The new endowment will provide $25,000 in grant funds over the next two years, and allocations of an amount to be determined will continue indefinitely.
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation CEO Cheryl Elliot said those funds will go to help address health issues specific to Ypsilanti, such as higher than average asthma rates or low birth weights. Money will also go toward issues like fighting obesity.
The former Beyer Memorial Hospital.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
The fund was created after the Oakwood Health System purchased the former Beyer Memorial Hospitalm then sold it to the Bortz Health Center, which provides assisted living for seniors at 28 S. Prospect Road.
The hospital was first opened by Augustus Beyer in 1918 and served as Beyer Memorial Hospital until it was purchased by the Oakwood Health System in the mid-1990s.
Several years later Oakwood decided to sell the property to Bortz because the hospital's emergency services were becoming a form of primary care for low-income residents in the area. But that upset the City Council because it had an agreement which stated that Oakwood would manage a hospital in the city.
The city subsequently sued Oakwood. As part of the settlement, the Ypsilanti Area Beyer Memorial Health Foundation was created to provide funding to local organizations offering health care or promoting good health.
Among past recipients of funds are Growing Hope, the Corner Health Center, the University of Michigan Family Clinic, Gilbert Residence and others.
An Ypsilanti Area Beyer Memorial Health Foundation board was created in 2001 to manage the funds and started to distribute them around 2003, according to City Attorney John Barr, who helped create the non-profit corporation.
Barr said the non-profit told the city that it didn't need the city's help with managing the fund in 2005 and the city was no longer involved after that. But several years later the board stopped meeting and the remaining funds just sat in a bank account for an unknown period of time.
Barr said he wasn't sure why the board stopped meeting or how $600,000 was left to sit in an account.
"It is a little unusual," he said.
Last year, a resident contacted former City Manager Ed Koryzno about the money and Barr was asked to investigate.
He contacted the old board, convened a meeting in March and they subsequently voted to enter into a contract with the Ann Arbor Community Foundation. The AACF is now creating an endowment that will provide a permanent source of grant funding for Ypsilanti.
“This is huge for a community that is challenged like Ypsilanti,” Elliot said. “To have this money available to help out makes a big difference and helps provide basic health services.”
Comments
margo
Fri, Apr 13, 2012 : 1:40 p.m.
Past recipients please Name the OTHERS ....we need the serves too.
margo
Fri, Apr 13, 2012 : 1:30 p.m.
to my knowledge GROWING HOPE is not a health creation, and dose not serve old people ! We have the HOPE CLINIC to fix old people teeth or give them new teeth which would be very helpful and would make old people happy to have a new smile. Why and when does Hope Clinic take patient? We senior living in ypsilanti would like to have a local dentist , instead importing form other counties ! WE have asthma and OTHER problems that need attention now.
pseudo
Sat, Apr 14, 2012 : 1:52 p.m.
Growing Hope is focused on healthy food access and while not a health services provider, it does meet the criteria for these grants and does a great job and has a great impact on health here in Ypsilanti.
Michigan Reader
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 11:08 p.m.
To clarify--The current Bortz building is the original Beyer Hospital. It was turned into a nursing home decades ago, when the "new" Beyer (now owned by Forest Health) was built in the late 60's. The building (now Forest Health) was the one purchased by Oakwood.
joe golder
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 10:57 p.m.
So, any more dormant accounts out there that could have been helping people in the city?
Alan Goldsmith
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 6:38 p.m.
"Last year, a resident contacted former City Manager Ed Koryzno about the money and Barr was asked to investigate". Thanks citizen watchdog. Since we certainly don't have any media watchdogs.
margo
Fri, Apr 13, 2012 : 1:32 p.m.
ASK the City about the collection from the towing companies ! how much is still outstanding?
pseudo
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 6:11 p.m.
um...how is the re-write of this article coming along? It seems some major parts of this aren't correct at all...like the 'who' the 'what' and the 'when'
Paul Schreiber
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 4:49 p.m.
The headline "Ypsilanti officials find $600,000 in forgotten funds for local health care" should be replaced with "Local Ypsilanti Attorney and Community Volunteers transfer $600,000 in dormant funds for local health care"
Tom Perkins
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 9:39 p.m.
Thanks for the suggestion, Paul.
pseudo
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
just to clarify and quote from the article " Barr said the non-profit told the city that it didn't need the city's help with managing the fund in 2005 and the city was no longer involved after that. But several years later the board stopped meeting" thats the non-profit board not "the City". Not the City. The Non-Profit Board that said it didn't need the city's help.
Dog Guy
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 4:11 p.m.
Wow! Ann Arbor's Model Cities "forgot" only $140,000 in its administrator's dental clinic personal account. Way to go Ypsi!
KeepingItReal
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 2:39 p.m.
Where is Bob Hunter, Lois Richardson and Rickey on this? Everytime something happens at the Ypsilanti Housing Commission, this trio takes every opportunity to publicly criticize the staff. Why are their criticism now?
pseudo
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 6:10 p.m.
because it wasn't city staff...it was a separate non-profit
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.
I found 60 cents in my couch cushion the other day.
Ron Granger
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 12:45 p.m.
Does anyone ever audit Ypsi? And for those who constantly yell about paying government employees too much, don't complain when you get incompetence. When you treat people like commodities, don't expect much.
Stephen
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 1:12 p.m.
This wasn't Ypsi. This was an independent board. The City Council were the ones who recovered the derelict funds. It was actually very good work on the part of the city.
pseudo
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 12:09 p.m.
I remember this issue - lots of discussion of the best form of managing the money and the "turn it over to the citizens" crew won out. btw... Ed is now gone, this is something that would have been news last year...why is this running now?
Paul Schreiber
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 11:03 a.m.
The Ypsilanti-Area Beyer Memorial Health Foundation (YABMHF) was set up in 2003.
Tom Perkins
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 2:11 p.m.
Paul, According to City Attorney John Barr, it was 2001.
Paul Schreiber
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 10:53 a.m.
In 1997 when Beyer Hospital was sold to Oakwood Hospital, Ypsilanti city council negotiated a deal to set up a trust fund. The trust fund board was independent from the city. The board went dormant. Fortunately, former city manager Ed Koryzno and city staff researched the issue and now the funds are available to the AAACF. Another good job by Ypsilanti city staff!
margo
Fri, Apr 13, 2012 : 1:37 p.m.
Why give it to ann arbor when ypsi citizen Need the money?healthcare ?
RUKiddingMe
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 10:51 a.m.
An excellent example of how citizens need to be the diligent watchdogs of the people claiming to serve them. Council, mayors, etc., they are just normal people, just as prone to screwups. They have friends and buddies, and are just as likely to use power and money to do and receive favors. The difference is, when a single individual screws up, they might lose between $20 and $200. When Council screws up, you get closer to millions. We have to watch them, make them account for the money, make them justify their plans, and hold them accountable for bad moves, bad ideas, etc. Thanks to the citizen who brought this up; you just found $600,000 that an elected official/group was supposed to handle.
AdmiralMoose
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 11:08 a.m.
"Thanks to the citizen who brought this up; you just found $600,000 that an elected official/group was supposed to handle." That is incorrect. Elected officials did *not* handle the funds; a non-profit did. Reading is fundamental.
A2comments
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 10:50 a.m.
Wow, what incompetence.
dading dont delete me bro
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 10:31 a.m.
how about some air conditioning for that place? that would help out those patient's health...and anyone else that visits there.
dading dont delete me bro
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 8:16 p.m.
so
Lovaduck
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 5:02 p.m.
Most older people's circulatory systems are much slower, thus the lack of air conditioning in nursing homes. They would find it freezing, even if it makes the visitors feel good.
dading dont delete me bro
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 12:40 p.m.
bortz's...
dextermom
Thu, Apr 12, 2012 : 12:12 p.m.
What place?