(5/17) The Frederick Board of County Commissioners met in closed session yesterday to consider proposals for the sale of the Citizens Care & Rehabilitation Center (CCRC) and the Montevue Assisted Living Facility (MALF) located in a shared building at 1910 and 1920 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick, Md.
Based on recommendations from an evaluation team, the board decided to take to open session a proposal by Aurora Health Care Management LLC for the potential purchase of CCRC/MALF for $30 million with an agreement to enter into a four-year memorandum of understanding for resident care services for the current subsidized residents of Montevue Assisted Living.
A financial analysis shows that with the cash purchase price and other county revenues, the debt service on the facility will be paid off entirely.
Board President Blaine Young commented, "The board greatly appreciates the time and extensive research our evaluation team put into the issuance of the request for proposals and the thorough vetting of every bid we received for the sale of the Citizens Care & Rehabilitation Center and Montevue Assisted Living Facility.
"Our primary objectives from the start were to address the substantial subsidies of taxpayer funds that have been going toward the facility, to look to maintain the quality of care for the residents and to take care of our employees who have so faithfully served at the facility.
"Aurora Health Care Management LLC meets the criteria we set forth from the beginning of this process and we look forward to receiving public feedback at our upcoming public hearing."
Aurora proposes to retain the employees at the facility, provide current pay and provide comparable benefits.
The Frederick County evaluation team recently visited several skilled nursing care and assisted living facilities, as well as the Aurora facility in Maryland, and was impressed with the quality of patient care and the operation as a whole provided by Aurora.
The evaluation team consisted of Financial Services Manager Susan Blum, County Manager Lori Depies, Procurement & Contracting Department Director Diane George, Human Resources Division Director Mitch Hose, Assistant County Attorney Richard McCain, CCRC Board of Trustees Member Vincent Parmesano and Finance Division Acting Director Erin White.
Aurora currently owns and operates seven skilled nursing facilities in Maryland, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
Also presented to the board was a proposal by the Citizens Nursing Home Board of Trustees for retention of the facility under county ownership with operations by a management company. This proposal will also be considered by the board during the public hearing.
The board will consider both proposals at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 23, in the first floor hearing room of Winchester Hall, located at 12 East Church Street, Frederick, Md.
The public is invited to provide feedback at public hearing on Tuesday, June 25, at a location to be announced.
Public meetings are broadcast on FCG TV, cable channel 19, and on webcasting at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/media.
For more information, contact County Manager Lori Depies at 301-600-3190 or via e-mail at ldepies@FrederickCountyMD.gov.
