Coalition criticizes potential buyer of Lancaster Manor
Lincoln Journal Star
By Algis J. Laukaitis
July 21, 2009
A group that is fighting to keep Lancaster Manor from being sold has asked the County Board to stop negotiating with the sole potential buyer because, the group alleges, the potential owner has a bad track record of running nursing homes.
The Save the Manor Coalition claims Hunter Management, based in Evanston, Ill., is owned by the Rothner family, which owns interest in more than 40 nursing homes throughout the Midwest, including Nebraska.
“Over and over again the various nursing homes and related companies owned by this family have proven to be among the most low quality facilities in the country,” said Kim Kaspar, co-leader of the coalition, in a news release.
Kaspar is president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2568, the union that represents employees of the county-owned nursing home.
The coalition, through its attorney, Gary Young, released a report Monday night questioning the Rothner family’s ability to provide quality care in its nursing homes, something that the County Board has repeatedly said was its highest priority.
The investigative report was compiled through the use of the Internet, newspaper articles and other reports about quality care.