Treasurer: Manor can make money

Written by Matt Zager mzager@thedailyjournal.com 

HOPEWELL — Despite its history of losing money, Cumberland County’s nursing home stands a good chance of being profitable if officials follow recommendations made by the county’s treasurer Gary Simmerman, he told the Board of Chosen Freeholders on Thursday.

“If we can manage the institution properly, I think we can do better than break even, I think we can make some money,” Simmerman said.
With the county considering selling the nursing home, Cumberland Manor, to help plug a multimillion dollar shortfall in 2012, members of the public, including Simmerman, a Hopewell resident, seized on their final opportunity to oppose a sale during a hearing Thursday night.
The hearing at the Hopewell municipal building was the last of two before officials are expected to decide later this month whether to authorize the sale of the Hopewell nursing home.
Estimates put the county’s deficit between spending and revenue at as much as $10 million. Freeholders say they have been waiting for the public comment period to conclude before deciding whether to authorize a sale.
Simmerman laid out a series of steps he believes could raise revenue at the nursing home to the board and a room full of residents Thursday.
They included selling the county landfill to raise revenue, upping the occupancy at the manor to at least 90 percent through better marketing of the nursing home, bringing in more privately funded residents, privatization of some positions at the nursing home and continuing a dialogue with the union representing workers there.
“I don’t think we can afford to not be in the business of running the county Manor,” said Simmerman.
An analysis in September by Moorestown consultant T&M Associates points out benefits of a sale for the cash-strapped county.
“Sale of the property and operations is anticipated to generate approximately $15 million,” the consultant wrote. “This one-time income source could be used by the county to pay debts or increase savings and would relieve the county of the annual contributions of between $1,120,570 and $2,469,840 needed to maintain operations.”

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