SULLIVAN COUNTY – Sullivan County officials were already considering the possible closure of the Care Center at Sunset Lake by late winter, the county confirmed this week, indicating the facility’s fate had been under discussion months before the public announcement that it would shut down.

At the most recent county legislature meeting, Legislator Cat Scott said a vote concerning the closure of the county-owned nursing home was held during a closed executive session on March 26, as we previously reported.

Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz said they did not make that vote public until approval from the New York State Department of Health.

In July, Infinite Care’s decision to end its consultancy and abandon a nearly three-year effort to obtain state approval to take ownership of the facility was announced.

The county said Infinite Care’s withdrawal did not directly cause the closure, but acknowledged the issues were related.

“Without Infinite Care and in the face of spiraling costs,” county spokesman Dan Hust said, it could not afford to resume direct operation of the nursing home, which would require rehiring county employees and supplying equipment.

The county also confirmed that Infinite Care stopped pursuing its Certificate of Need application with the state Department of Health after nearly three years without approval.

Ninety-four residents are affected by the closure, with several already relocated. The county said it is working with the state and area nursing homes to find placements for the remaining residents.

Officials said the facility’s poor ratings and negative inspection reports did not factor into the decision to close.