BUTLER TWP — Residents at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Thursday protested Butler County's pending sale of the facility.

Several residents complained to the county commissioners, who serve as the Sunnyview board of governors, that they're not considering the welfare of those receiving care or the employees.

“You're behaving like we're a millstone around your neck,” said resident Kathyrn Kirkwood.

Resident Becky Seyler accused commissioners Bill McCarrier and Dale Pinkerton, who support a sale, of not looking at the impact on human beings.

“Don't look at it like numbers on a piece of paper,” Seyler said.

County officials maintain Sunnyview should be sold because of its annual deficit.

The county projects Sunnyview will have a more than $1 million deficit for 2014, but $205,000 of that total is listed under building depreciation.

Under that scenario, the county would subsidize the remaining $838,452 of Sunnyview's total $20 million budget.

The commissioners voted 2 to 1 last week to issue a request for proposals from prospective buyers, which must bid at least $13.5 million by Dec. 13.

McCarrier previously said the only way a sale could have been avoided was for the union to accept a concessions offer rejected by its members Oct. 15.

Although workers were willing to take a wage freeze in 2014 and pay a higher portion of their health insurance, they did not want to lose sick and vacation days.

SEIU Healthcare, the union representing roughly 200 Sunnyview workers, subsequently presented a counteroffer, which included a reduction of holidays, to the county.

Sunnyview workers on Tuesday approved that counteroffer, which the union says saves the county more than $1 million.

The county on Thursday morning rejected the counteroffer.

Tamara Lefcowitz, administrative organizer for SEIU Healthcare, stressed its not too late to stop a sale.

“You guys are the conductors on the train,” Lefcowitz said.

She said the commissioners have nothing to lose by halting the process unless they have a buyer lined up.

Lefcowitz said the county's assurances that privatizing Sunnyview won't impact the residents are unfounded.

According to Lefcowitz, a nursing home suffers after being sold by a county. She claimed she would not give her dog the food served at some nursing homes.

McCarrier said in an interview Lefcowitz was out of line with her comments.

“She's instilling fear in the residents,” he said.

Under the request for bids, a buyer must adhere to 21 conditions, which may expand later.

The conditions include recognizing the existing union representation, prioritizing county residents for admission and retaining all current residents.

During the meeting, Sunnyview maintenance worker Terry Penrod echoed Lefcowitz's remarks.

Penrod asked McCarrier why it's too late to stop a sale and said he should support Sunnyview.

“Be the leader you were elected to be,” Penrod said.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein, who opposes a sale, said Sunnyview still is needed in the community, so keeping it county-owned is the only way to ensure it remains.

“It's not about the money,” Eckstein said.

When Eckstein started speaking, McCarrier pointed out there is no time allotted at Sunnyview meetings for commissioner comments.

“You're not on the agenda,” McCarrier said.

He and Pinkerton permitted Eckstein to speak during a resumed public comment.

When county solicitor Mike English pointed out Eckstein used the full three minutes allowed for public comment, Eckstein said he would have to be ejected from the room to prevent him from continuing.

When McCarrier and Pinkerton adjourned the meeting to stop Eckstein from talking further, those in attendance protested.

Dr. William DiCuccio, Sunnyview medical director, said the pending sale depressed him.

“Sunnyview is the last resort for many people,” he said.

According to DiCuccio, a privatized nursing home will refuse some admissions.

“There will be some people they will not want to take,” he said.

DiCuccio said he ran for county commissioner in 2012 to try and prevent a sale down the road.

“I thought I'd be one vote who would not sell it,” he said.

Lefcowitz warned the commissioners the union's fight against a sale will continue.

“This isn't over,” she said. “We're just getting started.”

The union plans to hold a rally in Diamond Park following the commissioners meeting Wednesday.

Lefcowitz encouraged the 12 residents at the meeting to attend the rally.