SpringfieldNewsSun.com

Urbana, Ohio — The Champaign County Commissioners think they have made progress toward selling a local nursing home after Vancrest Inc. agreed to manage the facility.

Vancrest, based in Van Wert, agreed this week to take over the management of Wellington Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Urbana starting this summer.

The company will begin managing the facility June 1, pending an inspection and expected licensure of the facility by the Ohio Department of Health, Champaign County Commissioner Bob Corbett said.

Vancrest will take over management duties from Progressive Health Care, which has managed the facility since January.

"We are pleased to be entering into this management contract with the commissioners which puts us in a position to obtain licensure from the Ohio Department of Health," Vancrest President Mark While a statement released Tuesday, May 6.

The county has been working for several months to finalize the sale of the facility. Ideally, the move may help Vancrest finalize the purchase of the facility later this year, Corbett said.

"It's been a long process," Corbett said. "There's been no secret about that."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

Vote for this story!