LAWRENCE COUNTY Officials consider selling property

The land was appraised at about $2 million.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners are considering putting a for sale sign on 38 acres of property that includes the county nursing home.
Commissioner Roger DeCarbo proposed the idea at Thursday's caucus after receiving the results of a property appraisal.
"The idea is there is nearly 40 acres of property in Shenango Township that has not been on the tax rolls for how long. This gives us an opportunity to sell property and covert it to taxable land for the Shenango School District and Shenango Township," DeCarbo said.
DeCarbo has proposed hiring Castle Realty to market the land. Commissioners will formally vote on the idea Tuesday.
Commissioner Ed Fosnaught said he will not agree to put all of the property up for sale.
"I would consider supporting selling the properties adjacent to the home, provided the right price was offered. But I have no interest in selling the nursing home or getting out of the nursing home business," Fosnaught said.
He said he believes the county can still operate the nursing home without putting more tax dollars into it.
The nursing home is on about 18 acres, and an additional 20 acres of adjacent land is wooded.
Had option to buy
National Commonlife Communities, a Cleveland-based company that builds assisted-living facilities for the elderly, had an option to buy the 20 wooded acres. That option expired in March.
DeCarbo said he's interested in finding out what the real estate market will bear for all the land and the nursing home.
The total appraisal for the entire property is about $2 million, he said. DeCarbo said he's interested in selling portions of the property.
"Somebody may come in and want to buy all of the property less the nursing home," he said. He said the county could continue to operate the home on only a few acres.
Commissioner Brian Burick could not be reached to comment.