Published: June 26, 2008 11:54 am      

Decision on county nursing home sale facing likely delay

CUMBERLAND - The decision whether or not to sell the Allegany County Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center could be delayed by two weeks or more.

County Commissioner Bob Hutcheson said Wednesday there's no hard timeline to reach a decision. Officials last month had expected to decide by June 30. However, the next commission meeting is July 8. Regular Thursday meetings are scheduled for July 17 and 24.

"I guess it could happen any of those dates," Hutcheson said about a decision being made. "I would say by the middle or end of next month, but that's just speculation on my part."

Hutcheson seemed as if he'd be surprised if the county opted not to sell the facility to the right buyer.

"I can't see any real reason to stay in the nursing home business," he said.

He said the original mission of the nursing home was to provide long-term health care to those who could not afford it. Now, however, health care options are abundant - making the business much more attractive to a private venture.

Paul Kelly, one of five members who formed Allegany Healthcare Group LLC, Cumberland, said his group - one of six parties that has expressed a continued interest in purchasing the facility - has been interviewed twice since mid-May and a site visit has been conducted at one of the member's interests in Garrett County.

County Attorney Bill Rudd, on the three-person committee that is conducting the interviews and site visits, was unavailable for comment. Committee members David Eberly, acting county administrator, and Jason Bennett, of the finance department, were out Wednesday on a site visit.

The trio has spent the last few weeks conducting multiple interviews with each of the remaining interested parties who has continued to express interest in purchasing the facility. Hutcheson said it takes quite a bit of time for the county - one of just three counties in Maryland that continues to own and operate a nursing home - to ensure a good decision is made.

"That's why we're having them do all the research and legwork," Hutcheson said.

Jerry Frantz, county director of finance, said the legwork was "time well-spent."

"We have employees and we have patients," Frantz said. "This isn't all about money."

Hutcheson, too, expressed a concern for the nursing home's patients and nearly 160 employees and their union representation.

"As far as we can, we want to protect the employees," Hutcheson said.

He said he could "almost guarantee" that a company with a plan to "wipe out all the employees and start anew" would not be able to acquire the business.

"We're not out to hurt somebody or out to have them lose their jobs," he said.

Commissioner Dale Lewis didn't seem convinced Wednesday that a sale is necessarily the right thing. He said he remained concerned that the nursing home is still continuing its original mission of caring for the indigent. He said he would personally meet with the company he felt best suited to own the facility. Like Hutcheson and Frantz, he expressed a concern for the welfare of the employees.

The nursing home has experienced major cash shortfalls in each of the last several years. The facility was more than $1 million short of breaking even in fiscal 2005. A year ago, the home was nearly $750,000 in the red.

Frantz said he expects the numbers for this fiscal year, which ends Monday, to be less of a loss than 2007. Official numbers won't be available for another week or so, he said.

The other five companies in the mix are: The Lions Center for Rehabilitation and Extended Care, Cumberland; North Bay Health Associates LLC, Miami, Fla.; Complete Health Care Resources - Eastern Inc., Dresher, Pa.; Neiswanger Management Services LLC, Hyattsville; and GC Healthcare Management Inc., Lonaconing.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.