WOODSFIELD — The Monroe County Commissioners’ decision last week to sell the Monroe Care Center for an offer of $500,000 is facing some opposition in the form of a potential new buyer who said he is willing to offer more, but who is demanding an open bidding process.

Weeks ago, Commissioners Tim Price and Carl Davis had voted to close the 166-year-old professional rehabilitation and nursing services provider, with Commissioner Mick Schumacher voting his opposition. The meetings that followed saw crowds of staff members, family members, and family of residents, asking that the center remain open. They said the residents enjoyed quality care at the facility and its close location made visiting easier.

Tim Price had noted the county had invested more than $6 million in the past several years in subsidizing and renovating the center after it lost its certificationto treat Medicare and Medicaid patients in 2015. The center regained certification in 2017 and has earned a five-star rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

However, Tim Price has noted that the center had not yet become self-sufficient and the county would likely have to borrow money to keep it operating.

The commissioners gave Administrator Jessica Price the opportunity to find a buyer willing to take on the center. Last week, they voted two- to-one to accept an offer from Bryan Casey, president of Alternative Living Solutions. Schumacher again offered the dissenting vote.

Now, Carson McCurdy of Jerusalem has put himself forward as a potential buyer for the care center.

“I do have the money available to pay substantially more than the current bid on the property. I have enjoined the county commissioners to not proceed without a public exposure,” he said, adding that his attorney has submitted a letter to this effect to the commissioners last week.

McCurdy said he believed the commissioners were legally required to have a public auction.

“The care center is now a five-star facility and is actually showing a profit for the first time in many years,” he said. “I don’t need to buy the place, I just want to realize the best net number back for the taxpayers who have spent an enormous amount of money on this facility.”

McCurdy, a native of Monroe County who has worked 30 years as a real estate investor and appraiser and who has returned to the area five years ago, said he was willing to offer two to three times more than current bidder Bryan Casey’s offer of $500,000.

“But it’s going to be contingent on my seeing the actual records, profit and loss, and understanding the ability of the care center to generate income.

“I will not make a final bid until I’m able to see the numbers,” he said.

“I’m more than happy to go ahead and go to court and go to litigation. I would prefer not to do that,” he said, adding that his attorney, T.J. Schultz, had contacted Monroe County Prosecutor James Peters with the opinion that they could not proceed with the sale without public exposure.

“This is ridiculous, and I am more than willing to go to the mat,” he said. “I want them to cease and desist, at least for the purposes of their initial sale and have a public exposure of this property and see if we can’t achieve a much higher number return for the citizens of Monroe County. … I don’t need to buy it, I don’t particularly want to buy it, but I will buy it if it’s going to be that cheap.”

He added that his mother, Mavis Young of Woodsfield, was a former administrator of the care center.

In his notice to Peters, Schultz referred to Ohio Revised Code section 307.10, which covers selling real property owned by the county and which calls for an advertisement once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation. Schultz added that if the commissioners are relying on ORC 5155.31B to forego the advertising requirement on the grounds that it is unsuitable for habitation, too small for economic or efficient operation, or for any reason made of record, Schultz does not think the center qualifies due to the recent five-star rating.

Schumacher responded to a call from The Times Leader. He said the commissioners have begun considering the matter.

“The letter sent by Mr. McCurdy came into the prosecutor’s office on Friday by regular mail. The prosecutor was out for the day. … There’s been no action taken,” he said. “He hadn’t made an offer per say, but he had protested the fact that it had not been advertised.”

He added that the commissioners and the prosecutor held an executive session and he was not at liberty to speak about what was discussed, but the prosecutor would contact McCurdy’s attorney. Schumacher also said he continued to oppose the decision to sell as it stands.

“After we had brought this care center back, after close to $7 million of the general fund, to turn around and sell it for pennies on the dollar is the most foolhardy decision I think I have every seen in my life. I have been opposed to that,” he said.

Tim Price, Davis and Peters could not be reached for comment.

Jessica Price had no comment but is proceeding with the plan to transfer the center to Casey within 60 days. The center is still accepting residents. She had ceased accepting residents when the future of the care center was still in doubt.