
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 18, 1995                   TAG: 9502200042
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ASSEMBLY OKS WARM HEARTH BID TO BUILD HOME

The Warm Hearth Village retirement community has won General Assembly approval for its bid to build a new nursing home - twice.

The exception to the state's moratorium on new nursing home beds now goes to Gov. George Allen. He must sign or veto one of the bills within a week.

Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg, who introduced one of the bills, said prospects look favorable based on a discussion with Allen's staff.

"I feel real good about it right now," Shuler said. "Of course, I'm not jumping up and down until I see the governor's signature on it. I'm pleased to see a lot of hard work get this far."

The victory resulted from a team effort between Shuler and state Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle.

"Both Jim and Bo Trumbo were exceptionally interested in what we were doing and easy to work with," said David Murray, Warm Hearth's director of development and marketing. They were "extremely helpful for neophytes like us to the process."

Trumbo and Shuler proceeded along three fronts: each had pushed a version of the Warm Hearth bill through their respective chambers; then, just Wednesday, Trumbo amended the Warm Hearth exception to a third bill for a Scott County nursing home. That was in case something happened to either of the first two bills.

The Senate approved the Scott County bill, introduced by Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, Thursday by a 39-0 vote with Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, abstaining because of a conflict of interest. The House agreed to the Warm Hearth amendment by a 100-0 vote.

Then Friday morning, the Senate approved Shuler's bill 38-0 vote with Marye again abstaining.

Trumbo's Senate version made it to the second of three readings on the House floor Friday, but most likely now will be dropped.

"This certainly will fulfill a vision that was created 15 years ago upon the creation of the Warm Hearth community, to offer that continuing care right on in to nursing care," Shuler said. "It's certainly a tremendous asset for our area."

by CNB