Time to pull the plug

The budget for Carroll Manor has been reduced to the point that the administrators do not believe they can manage the facility. And they probably cannot, certainly not with that fatalistic mindset.

It is time for the council to make the hard decision to cut their losses and move on, especially now since faced with almost certain judicial mandates.

It will still cost plenty to allow enough time for the 19 residents to find other accommodations. But during that time the commissioners could be working on a plan to either liquidate, privatize or in some way manage their property. It is their property to handle and figure out how the elevator grant will be paid back to the state for noncompliance with grant sanctions.

However, it is clear that commissioners will not budge to make the necessary adjustments until they are forced to, and the council has the power to force that issue.

The writing has been on the wall for Carroll Manor for more than a year. De-funding the facility will not solve the county's fiscal problems, but it will put two huge issues to bed for the last time.

It is more humane to put the county home out of its misery and move on than prolong the inevitable. Council should pull the plug and get on to the next round of budgets for 2009.