Veterans Home At King Receives Federal Funding For New Nursing Facility

The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King is getting $55 million in federal funding for a new nursing facility and several maintenance projects.

Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation to build a new, 200-bed facility at the veterans home in 2014. Over the last three years, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs has been on a waiting list for federal funding for the project and working on a design for the new John R. Moses Hall.

Congress approved $52 million for the project in the latest federal spending bill.

The agency recently asked the state building commission for permission to start taking bids for construction, said Carla Vigue, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs spokeswoman.

“There aren’t a ton of new construction projects for veterans homes that happen frequently so this is really exciting for Wisconsin,” Vigue said.

The state is also providing $28 million for Moses Hall, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

The veterans home has been under scrutiny in recent years. A series of Legislative Audit Bureau reports in 2017 found money was diverted away from the facility despite a backlog of maintenance projects. The LAB also reported a shortage of nursing staff.

“I think part of the design of the building is intended to improve staffing,” Vigue said. “Some of our older buildings where there’s like multiple floors for nurses to cover, now it’s going to all be on one level.”

The veterans home will also receive $3 million in federal funding for maintenance projects at existing buildings.

Vigue said the money will go toward new boilers and replacing flooring and roofing.