Status of Sauk County Health Care Center

I would like to inform the citizens of Sauk County of the status of our Sauk County nursing home (Sauk County Health Care Center), located on the west side of Reedsburg.

As most of you are aware, on September 10, 2024, the Sauk County Board, against the wishes of a majority of taxpayers, without a single public hearing, and following a closed session with the prospective buyer, voted 18-13 to sell our county nursing home. Our nursing home has a long history of 5-star Medicare ratings, and the Board voted to sell it to a private, for-profit company, Aria, which has health care facilities with 1-2 star ratings. Furthermore, they agreed to sell our nursing home, which cost over $15 million taxpayer dollars to build in 2009, for a mere $5.1 million!

As a result of the Sauk County Board's significant lack of transparency, and its fiscally irresponsible decision, which should have required a two-thirds of the majority (not a simple majority), a citizen lawsuit was filed against the county, in late October, 2024. The case is likely to come before a judge this spring.

Interestingly, Aria, the prospective buyer of our nursing home, has not yet applied to the Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services for the transfer of the nursing home bed licenses. That means that the nursing home is NOT sold. The deal is not done! So stay tuned by checking out our Facebook page for updates, and/or ask me to include you on our email list. Also, please consider helping the cause by contributing to our legal fund (contact me). Thank you!

Judy Brey
Citizens for the Sauk County Health Care Center (1300+ strong!)