The sale of the Lincoln County-owned Pine Crest Nursing to the Ensign Group is set to close in less than two weeks.
Chairman Jesse Boyd gave an update at the meeting.
“As we work through the due diligence process, a number of issues had arise, as expected, but we have been able to resolve them,” said Boyd.
A special county board meeting has been set for Wednesday, July 23 at 6:00 p.m. to work through couple more items needed for the sale to go through.
Also at last week’s meeting, the Lincoln County Board approved two resolutions regarding Pine Crest Nursing Home.
One would put the county, rather than the title company, on the hook monetarily if Donald Dunphy or others filed a lawsuit challenging the sale.
The last sale of the nursing home fell apart after Dunphy sued the county.
The other directs a county board committee to figure out how to sell the nursing home should the sale fall through.
North Central Health Care, who currently operates Pine Crest, sent a letter to the board informing it NCHC will not renew its agreement with the county for the nursing home. Its current contract will expire at the end of the year, though letter states “NCHC stands ready to reengage representatives from Lincoln County regarding negotiating a revised management agreement to protect the interests of both Lincoln County and NCHC.”
One supervisor stressed that the resolution was not saying the board would sell it, it’s just to direct to the Administration and Legislative committee to learn what that process is.
“I will tell you that there are very specific legal requirements in state statute to close a nursing home. We don't at this point even know what those are. At some point, if the sale falls through, we are going to have to make a decision what to do, and we don't have a lot of time to do that. All we're asking is A&L, can you look if we decide to close?”
It passed 16 to five.
While talking about that resolution, Supervisor Donald Dunphy suggested ways the county could afford to continue operating the nursing home including selling property or reinstating a wheel tax.
Ahead of the votes, people that gave public comment once again admonished the county board for selling the nursing home and the process it took to sell it.
“Shame on the board members, leaving the elderly and disabled population living at Pine Crest in limbo for all these months, wondering what will become of their home,” said Cheryl Kanitz.
