State Auditor Mike Foley says he hasn’t decided yet whether his office will audit the possible sale of Lancaster Manor, a 300-bed government-run nursing home in Lincoln. Foley says looking into a local issue falls within his job description.
“Anybody who spends public funds falls within the jurisdiction of the auditor of public accounts, so it’s very appropriate that I involve myself in this matter,” Foley says. “In this instance, we’re talking about selling ten-million dollars of public assets, potentially.”
Foley says he’s heard a number of concerns over the proposed sale of the facility. He says, “Some of the employees over there, some of the people who have family members at Lancaster Manor are very concerned about the future of the manor and who might take it over, what will become of the employees, what will become of the employees that are being served.”
Foley says that they just want to make sure if the sale goes forward that everyone has the best possible data and accurate figures. He emphasizes, the projected loss next year of three-point-five million dollars is just a projection.
“We’re not sure what all assumptions went into the creation of that projection, whether or not it’s accurate” Foley says. “It may very well be accurate but let’s just make sure everybody’s got good numbers as to what it really takes to operate that facility.” The Lancaster County Board will take up a recommendation in a couple of weeks to sell the nursing home.
Thanks to Kevin Thomas, KLIN, Lincoln