Although the Butler County commissioners differ on whether to sell the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, they did agree Wednesday to have the facility appraised.

The commissioners approved a $6,000 contract with Integra Realty Resources of Sewickley to set a market value for the nursing home.

County officials, including commissioners Bill McCarrier and Dale Pinkerton, maintain Sunnyview needs to be sold due to its annual deficit, which is estimated at more than $1 million for 2014.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein opposes the sale.

Since $205,000 of that total is listed under building depreciation, the county would subsidize the remaining $838,452 of Sunnyview’s total $20 million budget.

The county is seeking proposals from prospective buyers, which must bid at least $13.5 million by Dec. 13.

The commissioners on Wednesday also hired the Hay Group of Philadelphia for $3,500 to provide an actuarial study of Sunnyview.

The county needs to know how much money from a sale would have to be placed in the county pension fund to cover possible retirements.

If Sunnyview is sold, any of its roughly 200 employees who worked there for at least eight years would be eligible for a pension.

McCarrier, board chairman, refuted Eckstein’s repeated claims that a 2004 pension increase was solely responsible for Sunnyview’s deficit.

Pinkerton agreed, pointing to rising hospitalization costs as another factor with a $400,000 price tag.

Pinkerton said the deficit could rise up to $5 million in the next several years.

“We’re thinking about our taxpayers,” he said.

Eckstein insisted the pension increase was the cause, creating a more than $1 million annual total cost.

County Controller Jack McMillin disagreed, saying the actual number is $600,000.

“There have been a number of misstatements,” McMillin said.

Eckstein blamed the discrepancy on McMillin’s numbers being different from Sunnyview’s.

“I didn’t pull a rabbit out of the hat,” Eckstein said.

Eckstein chided his colleagues for wanting to sell Sunnyview, saying they were going after the elderly and disabled.

“Sunnyview provides a vital and necessary service,” he said.

Eckstein criticized those saying that privatizing Sunnyview would not have a negative impact.

“Those who believe this propaganda are mainly rich, arrogant idealists,” he said.

McCarrier said Eckstein erroneously portrays other nursing homes in the county as being deficient.

“They provide excellent care,” McCarrier said.

Pinkerton agreed privatization would not hurt Sunnyview.

“We really are just changing the name,” he said.

Eckstein again accused his fellow commissioners of verbally attacking him after saying: “We have a king and a court jester running our county.”

McCarrier said it’s not surprising Eckstein hasn’t accomplished much during his tenure since he seems to spend most of his time attempting to find fault with county employees and elected officials, especially McCarrier and Pinkerton.

“His meaningless, mindless diatribe seems to have no bounds when it comes to malicious, insulting, derogatory and negative invectives regarding his fellow commissioners,” McCarrier said.

Pinkerton said Eckstein’s behavior is reminiscent of elementary school.

“I feel like I’m really back in the third grade,” Pinkerton said.