The future of the Butler County-owned Sunnyview Nursing Home will be influenced by a panel that includes a man best known for his former role as chief executive of Allegheny County -- an executive who had advocated for the privatization of the Allegheny County-owned Kane nursing homes.

Jim Roddey now is an employee of the Pittsburgh certified public accounting and consulting firm McCrory & McDowell LLC, and he serves, as well, on the board of Vocollect Healthcare System, which provides voice-assisted care to the nursing home industry.

Mr. Roddey is one of three members of a volunteer panel appointed Oct. 21 by the Butler County Commissioners. Also named to the panel was Bryan Randall, vice president and chief financial officer of Heritage Valley Health System in Beaver County, and Trudi Stafford, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services of UPMC Passavant in McCandless.

Mr. Roddey headed a task force in 1996 that recommended privatization of the Kane nursing homes. And, in 2003, his top appointee produced a report recommending that the county consider privatization.

Commissioners Chairman Dale Pinkerton said he is aware that Mr. Roddey had been in favor of Allegheny County exiting the nursing home business but that he believed that Mr. Roddey will render an impartial opinion about Butler County.

"He knows that I'm aware of [his previous position on privatizing] and he feels that he can be fair. I believe him, and I think he is a man who understands nursing homes and how they operate," Mr. Pinkerton said. He said the other two members also were knowledgeable.

One of the reasons he said they were sought out was that they have no connection to Butler County or the nursing home.

The purpose of the committee is to review a study commissioned in July by the county that's being prepared by Carbis Walker, of New Castle. The firm is being paid $15,000 for the evaluation that will look at the nursing home's physical property in Butler Township and at the business itself.

Mr. Pinkerton said the committee would render "an opinion, only an opinion. The commissioners will take what they tell us and decide what's best."

The nursing home employs about 200 unionized employees who are working under an extension of a previous contract. Some of those employees believe that the county is threatening to sell Sunnyview as leverage in the ongoing contract talks, a claim denied by Mr. Pinkerton. A budget advisory committee last year suggested the board consider a comprehensive analysis of operating options for Sunnyview. The nursing home also employs 30 nonunion staff.

Sunnyview has posted year-end deficits: $800,000 in 2007 and $1 million in 2008. But the facility underwent a $6 million renovation last year in the hopes of turning things around. It has about 216 residents.

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