LAWRENCE COUNTY Nursing home lands in the red

The controller is checking with other counties to see if they ever faced a deficit.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners and the county controller are to meet Monday to address a deficit at the county nursing home.
Controller Mary Ann Reiter said that after meeting today's payroll, Hill View Manor has a $300 deficit. She said there is no money to meet payroll or other expenses for the rest of the month.
"This is all new. We've never been faced with this before," Reiter said this morning.
The special meeting at 8 a.m. will address some of the problems and, it is hoped, find some answers.
For sale
The nursing home has been for sale, and county commissioners had expected to sell it by July 7 to Sylvan Heights Realty Partners. But the sale was delayed for 90 days when they buyer's financing fell through.
One problem, officials have said, is the declining number of nursing home residents and no change in the staff.
As of Wednesday, there were 71 patients and still more than 100 people on the nursing home staff, Reiter said.
Commissioner Roger DeCarbo Sr. has said an agreement was made with management company Americare of New Castle not to lay off any employees until 30 days after the nursing home sale. One of the potential buyers is affiliated with Americare.
DeCarbo contends the agreement was made because of this year's county commissioner election. He is not seeking re-election.
Commissioners Brian Burick and Ed Fosnaught have said they were unaware of any agreement not to furlough employees until after the sale.
All three commissioners could not be reached this morning.
Other counties' experience
Reiter said she is calling other counties to see if they have ever faced a nursing home deficit and how they dealt with it.
The controller noted that, in the past, the county always has put aside $100,000 a year for nursing home operating expenses, but that hasn't been done in recent years.
"It may be time to kick in an allocation," she said.
Until then, Reiter has advised nursing home staff to prioritize the bills and call the state to see if Medicare and Medicaid payments could be sent sooner.
cioffi@vindy.com