A new era begins for the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Sunday as it becomes a privately run facility.

Beginning midnight, Sunnyview will no longer be owned by Butler County. The Lakewood, N.J., company Investment 360 will take the reins.

County officials on Thursday set the date for the transfer of ownership.

“The sale is closed,” said chief county clerk Amy Wilson.

Wilson said Sunday was selected for a reason.

“This is the end of our payroll period,” she said.

After Investment 360 was notified by the state that the transfer of the nursing home license was approved, the company and county signed the necessary paperwork finalizing the sale.

The company is paying $20.4 million for the 220-bed nursing home off Morton Avenue in Butler Township.

However, the county is not guaranteed to receive that full amount because $2.4 million is for Sunnyview's accounts receivable — uncollected bills for resident care.

County Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, said the privatization has been a smooth transition.

“I didn't think it could have gone any better,” McCarrier said.

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton agreed.

“I'm glad it's resolved in the manner it is,” Pinkerton said.

Although Commissioner Jim Eckstein opposed the sale, he also said the closing went well.

“I was happy that the process was amicable,” Eckstein said.

But he maintains the county should have retained ownership of Sunnyview.

“It's a sad day for me,” Eckstein said.

He recalled union workers were willing to renegotiate a new contract last year, but his colleagues did not want to accept a counteroffer to the county's final offer.

“We had the problem solved,” Eckstein said, referring to financial concessions offered by workers.

Investment 360 last month reached an agreement with SEIU Healthcare covering 230 out of 250 Sunnyview workers. The three-year pact takes effect in 2015.

Eckstein accused his fellow commissioners of wanting to sell Sunnyview more than two years ago.

“They had their minds made up the day they got elected,” Eckstein said.

McCarrier refuted Eckstein's comments.

“That's absolutely not true,” McCarrier said.

He said his initial view was to keep Sunnyview, but his opinion changed after looking at the nursing home's financial statements.

McCarrier said Sunnyview's doors may have been closed someday if it was not privatized.

While the commissioners differ on whether a sale should have occurred, they agree Sunnyview will be in good hands with Investment 360.

“It's an A company,” Eckstein said.

McCarrier said the company plans to expand services and make improvements to the facility.

“I believe the residents will get excellent care,” he said.

Investment 360 operates 17 other health care facilities in six states.

For more than 100 years, the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has been providing care for Butler County residents. This timeline lists some highlights in the nursing home's history:✓ 1897 — The land Sunnyview is on was sold to the county✓ 1899 — The building was opened as the Alms House✓ 1957 — Congressman Frank Clark criticized the home's alleged overcrowding. A month later, the state welfare department determined there were no problems.✓ 1963 — The facility was renamed Sunnyview Nursing Home✓ 1968 — A new 100-bed nursing wing was planned when there were 245 residents with another 100 people on a waiting listSunnyview workers strike in response to the county refusing to negotiate with the union✓ 1978 — The Sunnyview farm was closed✓ 1982 — The original building was razed to make room for the new north wing as well as the new dining room, kitchen and multipurpose room✓ 1989 — A tuberculosis outbreak occurred at the home, infecting 41 residents and 17 staff✓ 1991 — The federal government stated the home violated the civil rights of a man with AIDS by refusing him admission✓ 1992 — The county hired Diversified Health Service Co. of Plymouth Meeting, a Philadelphia suburb, to operate Sunnyview✓ 1996 — The county approved a more than $500,000 project to install a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the nursing home✓ 2000 — The county opted to not renew Diversified's contract✓ 2002 — Sunnyview regained its state license six months after a resident, who had a history of difficulty swallowing and choking, died eating a sandwich against doctor's orders✓ 2008 — After county workers, including those at Sunnyview, rejected final offers for union contracts, officials discussed the option of selling Sunnyview. The county eventually decided to not pursue a sale✓ 2013 — County commissioners again discussed a possible sale✓ 2014 — Sunnyview is privatized.