By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorA final plea to convince Emmaus Homes officials to keep the Marthasville campus open has been made. It will now be up to the board of directors to make a decision later this month.A public forum was held Thursday night on the campus to allow parents, guardians and others to voice their opinion on its future. A standing-room-only crowd topping 100 was in attendance, including some who had to listen to the discussion outside Fellowship Hall on a speaker.Frustrated over what they perceive is a lack of communication and transparency, supporters of the campus insisted that a decision be delayed until more information is received and other funding solutions are identified.“I hope permanently you have not made a final decision yet,” said Tricia Smith, whose brother lives on the campus. “Can you give us time to keep this open? We can do this. Where there is a will, there is always a way.”Emmaus Homes Inc. is a private, nonprofit, faith-based organization that provides 24-hour residential and other services to 77 adults with developmental disabilities on its 650-acre campus located off of Highway D. The Marthasville campus has been in existence for 120 years.In the past month, the Emmaus executive team made a recommendation to the board of directors to relocate the residents who live on the campus to group homes by 2020. The plan includes closing the administration and wellness buildings on the campus by 2016 and subdividing some of the property on the campus for sale to the families.In addition, the transition plan will be shared with TEMCO, a nearby sheltered workshop, to develop a proposal to assume control of the water/wastewater systems on the property.Decision May 19The Emmaus Board of Directors will vote on the recommendation May 19, with members essentially having three options to choose from — approval to close the campus, reject the plan or delay a decision.Emmaus executives say they can’t continue to spend money to keep the Marthasville campus open when the number of clients who live there continues to dwindle and a funding shortfall grows. There also is an uncertainty on whether campus facilities like the one in Marthasville will qualify for federal funding in the future.President and CEO Cindy Clark noted that the Marthasville campus faces an annual $400,000 funding deficit. According to an informational sheet provided at the meeting, the shortfall is expected to grow to $600,000 in five to 10 years, which would be more than half of the cost to maintain all of the buildings on the property.Some Emmaus officials said it’s simply too costly to maintain the campus or build group homes there.“I think a lot of people have known this campus has been vulnerable,” Emmaus Board Chairman the Rev. Dr. Richard Zuch told The Record.“Look at the buildings. This has been discussed for a long time. This is not a fresh topic,” he said. “Fifteen years ago we looked at building group homes and the builders have said it’s not cost-effective to build a house out here when you can build it at half the price in Washington.”Supporters are afraid the fate of the Marthasville campus will be similar to what occurred recently in St. Charles.Emmaus recently closed the 88-acre campus and moved the residents who had been living there into homes in the area. That property is now under contract and slated for residential development. Its administration offices have since relocated to a new $2.5 million facility in St. Charles.That price tag drew criticism from those in attendance Thursday night who questioned the expenditure and asked why a cheaper alternative was not sought.According to Emmaus officials, if the sale of the St. Charles property is finalized, the proceeds will be used to increase salaries for front-line employees, such as direct support professionals and home managers, and to pay off the approximate $1.8 million debt owed for the administration offices.Ask for More TimeThe group fighting the closure fear the residents, many who have lived there for decades, will struggle with adjusting to a new residential setting than what they are currently accustomed to. They also mentioned that funding woes are nothing new for the Marthasville campus and believe some of the burden could be alleviated if the Emmaus board delays its decision.Supporters also have asked for the financials related to the campus to be released, which the board is also expected to act upon at the May 19 meeting.“There are more options than closing the doors to this campus,” said Billie Kramme, who lives near the campus. “There are creative ideas and things that can be done. I am not against people living in the community. We have people here who will not be successful in the community and will not be happy in the community.”Paul Henderson of Washington, said: “I just can’t believe the possibility of the campus going away and not even knowing about it. Allow us to help you. If you need my money, ask me for it. How can I help you if I don’t even know? Give us a chance. Don’t close it this year. Give us time and we will figure it out.”Likes Home SettingCathy Brown, a St. Charles resident who works in the field caring for developmentally disabled people, spoke out in support of the small group home setting. She said operations similar to the Marthasville campus are being eliminated and will soon no longer exist.She also provided statistics showing that the number of Missouri clients residing in places with 16 or more people has dropped from 4,215 in 1996 to 1,557 in 2013. In comparison, the number of people living in a setting with six or fewer people has climbed from 2,944 in 1996 to 9,418 in 2013.“This campus is not something that will be around much longer,” Brown said. “That’s not unique to Emmaus. It is happening all around the country.”Both Clark and Zuch said that over 100 residents in the past five years have successfully transitioned to group homes in nearby communities without any issues.“Not one single guardian, not one single family, has come back and said this has not been a good move for them,” Zuch said. “No one has said this has not been a benefit.”Emmaus officials said it would take an $8 million endowment campaign to fund the annual deficit.

Lynne Unnerstall, far right, of Washington, speaks to Emmaus Board of Directors during a public forum held Thursday, May 7, inside the Fellowship Hall on the Marthasville campus. Unnerstall, along with other parents, guardians and supporters, oppose a recent recommendation made by the Emmaus executive team to relocate residents and close the campus by 2020.  Tim Schmidt photo.