(6/23) The Frederick Board of County Commissioners today voted to take to public hearing a proposal 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. In order to accommodate citizens who may wish to comment on the proposal, the commissioners will hold the public hearing starting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25, at the Frederick Community College Jack B. Kussmaul Theater located at 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick.

The board welcomes public feedback on 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, "Our board had several priorities in seeking proposals for the sale of the Citizens Care & Rehabilitation Center and Montevue Assisted Living facility, and we are impressed that Aurora Health Care Management LLC meets all of our criteria. As a reputable company with experience operating nursing homes, Aurora has pledged to maintain the CCRC/MALF standard of providing outstanding patient care; to retain our employees at the facility; to provide comparable employee benefits, and to maintain the ‘Montevue Mission’ of care for those in assisted living at the facility.

"We also understand that a priority for our taxpayers is to address the substantial subsidies of funds that have been going toward the facility, and this proposal will eliminate the debt service from county books. With these points in mind, we invite our citizens to come to the public hearing and provide us their feedback."

An evaluation team from Frederick County 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.

For more information, contact County Manager Lori Depies at 301-600-3190 or via e-mail at ldepies@FrederickCountyMD.gov.