NEW CASTLE Board works on closing Hill View

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners continue working on plans for closing the county nursing home.
All residents left Hill View Manor last week, but commissioners are still working on cleaning out the building and disposing of the property.
Commissioners talked Thursday about hiring an appraiser to tell them the value of the 36.5 acres on Pa. Route 65 in Shenango Township. A request for proposals is expected to go out next week.
Commissioners noted that a cemetery on the property would remain with the county, and they expect county workers to maintain it even after the other land is sold.
Commissioner Dan Vogler suggested the panel pass a resolution that would require the county to maintain it perpetually. The cemetery contains the graves of people who lived on the land when it was used as the county poor farm in the early 1900s.
Officials are also looking at how to dispose of the facility's beds and other furniture.
They are talking about having a public auction, but it may not include everything.
"There's an awful lot of things that might have value to the right people, but not the guy like me who is looking to buy a lamp for the night stand," Commissioner Steve Craig said.
The beds and other equipment might be more suitable for sale to other nursing facilities, he said.
Commissioners said they plan to look for a liquidator that has dealt with nursing homes.
Craig also noted there are closets full of clothing and other items that the county may have to discard rather than sell.
cioffi@vindy.com