Veterans’ homes in Missouri will receive more than $33 million for repairs and renovations under legislation signed by Governor Jay Nixon today in Springfield. House Bills 17, 18 and 19 will provide bonding funding for capital improvement projects at Missouri’s eight veterans’ homes as well as universities, state buildings and state parks.
Nixon told veterans attending the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ state convention, where the bill signing took place, the homes play a vital role in caring for Missouri’s aging veterans.
"These homes provide long-term skilled nursing care for eligible veterans who are older or who are disabled. Each home has registered nurses who are on duty 24 hours a day and provides not only physician care but also therapy and social services for residents," he said.
Nixon said the services the homes provide are in greater demand than ever before.
The veterans’ home in Mt. Vernon will use bond money to renovate the kitchen hood and system and replace its sprinkler system, boilers, water heaters, chillers and more.
The bills will also provide around $700,000 for improvements to state veterans’ cemeteries in Jacksonville, St. James and Springfield.
The governor said a AAA credit rating from all three major rating agencies will allow the state to benefit from lower interest rates.
