Petition circulating against proposal to sell Cumberland County’s nursing home

Opponents of a proposal to sell Cumberland County’s nursing home have begun circulating an online petition to try to stop the process in its tracks.

The launch of the petition drive by Cumberland Valley Rising and Citizens Saving Claremont comes a week after commissioners held the first of two public meetings on their investigation into selling the Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to a private firm.

That exploration is in its early stages. Commissioners have not made any formal commitment to sell. Monday is the deadline for prospective buyers to submit proposals.

All three commissioners have said continuing the quality of care for Claremont residents and the maintenance of staff are paramount concerns. They have pledged that no residents, including those on Medicaid-only payment status, will be displaced if the home goes private.

Commissioners are insisting a private entity with experience in the nursing home industry is a better option for operating the home. Claremont’s financial situation is deteriorating and commissioners say they don’t want the taxpayers to have to subsidize its operations. Cumberland is among only 15 Pennsylvania counties that still operates its own nursing home.

Those arguments aren’t convincing everyone, as shown by a chorus of comments made at a public meeting last week and in the preamble to the online petition, which had more than 200 signers as of Monday morning.

“To many in the Cumberland County community, this abrupt decision is deeply concerning and untimely,” the petition states. “Please, join us in urging the Commissioners to reconsider this sale in the unsure times of a pandemic affecting the elderly population at an alarming rate.”

“We want more time and discussion on this topic at a later date when circumstances are not so dire, the pandemic is under control, and the decision can be thoroughly discussed and the public better informed,” it adds.

The next public meeting on the sale proposal is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the courthouse in Carlisle. The public can also attend via Zoom. Directions on how to do that are on the county’s website.

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