<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1TTetR_0vkx2Th900" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1TTetR_0vkx2Th900" width="2048" height="1365" ><figcaption>Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill. Tina L. Scott photo.</figcaption></figure>MMC STAFFThe Lincoln County Board of Supervisors will once again explore the sale of Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill.During its meeting at the Lincoln County Service Center in Merrill on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, the Board approved a resolution authorizing the County’s Administrative and Legislative (A&amp;L) Committee to pursue a sale of the County-owned facility.Under the resolution, the Committee has the option to include the County’s Health and Human Services building in a potential sale.According to the resolution, several parties have expressed interest in purchasing the nursing home, including Senior Management Inc. and Merrill Campus LLC. The organizations were previously set to buy Pine Crest and the Health and Human Services building earlier this year, until they terminated the Asset Purchase Agreement with Lincoln County in response to a lawsuit filed by District 7 Supervisor Donald Dunphy in May.Dunphy, who is also a member of People for Pine Crest, a local group that has advocated against the sale of the facility, said the lawsuit was his “vehicle to keep Pine Crest from being sold.” The suit was dismissed in July.In August, the Board voted 8-11 to reject a resolution that would have placed a binding referendum related to Pine Crest funding on November ballots.Under the proposed resolution, if it had been approved by voters, Lincoln County would have been allowed to exceed levy limits by $5 million each year from 2025 to 2029 to fund operations, maintenance, repairs, updates, and debt service at Pine Crest. Several proposed amendments to lower the asking amount were voted down before the resolution was ultimately rejected.The $5 million annual levy would have had an estimated $186 tax impact per $100,000 of the assessed value of private property, according to the resolution.The Board also rejected a proposed Pine Crest funding referendum resolution in 2023.Prior to the Board’s vote last week, numerous individuals utilized the meeting’s public comment period to speak in favor of the County’s continued ownership of the facility. One individual voiced their support for a potential sale.Supervisors discussed Pine Crest for about a third of the roughly three-hour meeting. District 22 Supervisor Greg Hartwig noted that he had been contacted by constituents urging a sale of Pine Crest, while District 9 Supervisor Christine Vorpagel said she heard from constituents who both supported and opposed a potential sale.After discussion, the Board approved the resolution by a 14-8 vote.Voting in favor were Hartwig, District 2 Supervisor Lori Anderson-Malm, District 5 Supervisor Andrew Zelinski, District 8 Supervisor Laurie Thiel, Board Chair and District 10 Supervisor Jesse Boyd, District 11 Supervisor Randy Detert, Board Vice-Chair and District 12 Supervisor Julie DePasse, District 14 Supervisor Marguerite Lyskawa, District 15 Supervisor Marty Lemke, District 16 Supervisor Dana Miller, District 17 Supervisor James Meunier, District 18 Supervisor Ken Wickham, District 20 Supervisor Angela Cummings, and District 21 Supervisor Eugene Simon.Voting against were Dunphy, Vorpagel, District 1 Supervisor William Bialecki, District 3 Supervisor Elizabeth McCrank, District 4 Supervisor Derek Woellner, District 6 Supervisor Norbert Ashbeck, District 13 Supervisor Alan Bishop, and District 19 Supervisor Joseph Dorava.No specific timeline regarding a potential sale of Pine Crest was provided during the meeting. A potential sale would be voted on by the Board.</div></body>

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Lincoln County Board to again explore sale of Pine Crest Nursing Home

The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors will once again explore the sale of Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill. During its meeting at the Lincoln County Service Center in Merrill on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, the Board approved a resolution authorizing the County’s Administrative and Legislative (A&L) Committee to pursue a sale of the County-owned facility.