ATLANTIC COUNTY — More than a dozen firms have expressed interest in buying Atlantic County's nursing home, with bidding expected to start at $24 million as the county moves closer to putting the facility up for auction.
Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson provided an update Thursday on the planned sale during an appearance on The Don Williams Show on WOND, saying protecting the facility's current employees will remain a condition of any deal.
“It's going up for auction very soon, Don, so we do not have the bids,” Levinson said. “We have well over a dozen firms that are interested.”
“The bids are going to start at $24 million,” he said.
But Levinson said the highest offer won't automatically win.
The county is requiring a buyer to retain the nursing home's existing staff for at least two years and provide health benefits that are equal to or better than what employees currently receive.
“It will go to the highest bidder as long as they respect our caveat that our staff has to be employed for the next two years with equal or better with their health care,” Levinson said.
“So that's what they have to keep in mind before they even bother bidding or they won't even be looked at.”
Levinson: County Will Take Less to Protect Workers
Asked whether the employee requirement could discourage some potential bidders, Levinson said he didn't know, but emphasized that protecting the workers is more important than maximizing the sale price.
“I know there's a lot of interest,” Levinson said.
“And, you know, I want to make sure that our staff knows as hard as they've worked at that nursing home, it's a rough, rough job that they're going to be taken care of.”
Levinson then went a step further.
“In fact, if we have to take less, we will to make sure that their job is maintained for at least 24 months,” he said.
Levinson praised employees for the difficult work they perform caring for nursing-home residents.
“What they do over in that nursing home, Don, stop and think about it,” Levinson said. “These are loved ones that we don't do things for that they do, and they deserve to, you know, have a soft landing.”
‘We Can't’ Keep It
Levinson was equally direct about why Atlantic County is pursuing a sale.
“For those that believe we should keep it, we can't,” Levinson said. “It is too expensive.”
He pointed to the dramatic decline in the number of county-operated nursing homes in New Jersey during his tenure.
“When I became county executive 27 years ago, there was 24 county nursing homes,” Levinson said. “Now we're down to three, and we're one of three.”
“So it is not profitable any longer.”
The comments provide one of the clearest indications yet of what Atlantic County will prioritize as the sale moves forward: finding a buyer willing to meet the county's employee protections, even if another bidder might be willing to pay more without those conditions.
For Levinson, that protection is non-negotiable.
The employees, he said, “deserve to ... have a soft landing.”
About the Author
Scott Stephens
Scott has been an on-air personality, producer and newscaster for 30+ years. He has been a mainstay in the South Jersey Community and on the air across many different area stations. Scott can currently be heard on Kool 98.3 and News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND.
