The Lake County Board this week approved signing a letter of intent with Ecumen for the sale of the county-owned Sunrise Nursing Home. It now will enter into negotiations on the final details.
Commissioner Rick Goutermont said the board would have made a sale more than two years ago but didn't rush into anything to take into account the employees and residents of the facility.
"That's always been my concern," Commissioner Rich Sve said.
Ecumen has managed Sunrise for 16 years. Ecumen also manages the Sunrise on Superior apartments. The Shoreview, Minn., company operates senior housing facilities and services throughout Minnesota, including owning Lakeshore and Bayshore in Duluth. It is a nonprofit organization led by a 17-member board of trustees.
Other Minnesota counties have left the nursing home business. Last year, St. Louis County commissioners voted to lease its county-owned Chris Jensen Health & Rehabilitation Center in Duluth to Minneapolis-based Health Dimensions Group Inc.
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Goutermont said Lake County does not have the expertise or resources to run a care facility, and it shouldn't be a responsibility of the county. He also cited a tough economy as a reason to sell.
Union representatives have expressed concerns about health insurance, salaries and Public Employees Retirement benefits.
Goutermont said he didn't think employees would see many changes around the facility, and Ecumen would honor the right for employees to join a union.
Managers at Sunrise did not want to speak about the sale because it is in the very early stages of development. The home employs about 100 people with about 50 residents.
John Korzendorfer, vice president for campus operations for Ecumen, said at this point there are no solid numbers for how much they would pay the county for the facility. It wants a deal done by the end of the year. He said Ecumen also would "need the people that we have" now to run Sunrise.
