Aria Corporation approved for bed licenses from Sauk County nursing home, sparking local outrage

On Monday, May 5, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) approved bed licenses to be transferred from the Sauk County Health Care Center to the Aria Corporation, marking the latest decision in a lengthy legal process to spark outrage in the Sauk County community.

The locals’ discontentment with the transfer stems from last fall, when the Sauk County Board’s sale of the senior home was narrowly passed in a 18-13 vote. The Board’s decision to sell to the Aria Corporation was widely criticized, as community members noted that three other Wisconsin nursing homes owned by the company suffered from low ratings and have committed several violations.

“Aria’s record speaks for itself,” Reedsburg’s Judy Brey stated. “They’ve been fined over $500,000 in just three years. Their facilities consistently receive 1- or 2-star ratings. Why would we trust them with the care of our most vulnerable neighbors?”

The facility sold for $5.1 million – significantly less than its actual value. Soon after the approval of the sale, Sauk County Citizens for Senior Care, UA sued the Sauk County Board for open meeting laws and fiscal mismanagement.

“The deal was wildly unpopular,” Reedsburg resident Joice Meyer remarked, “yet county leaders chose secrecy over transparency.”

Some of the county’s residents, such as Baraboo’s Tom Kriegl, criticized Sauk County’s braintrust for mishandling the budget.

“In 2023, the nursing home required less than $270,000 in property taxes to support operations — a fraction of the $2-3 million of property tax dollars Sauk County has spent per year since October 2022 to staff an empty 192-bed jail unit.”

Citizens for Sauk County Health Care Center will continue to contend the sale in court.