The Champaign County Board meets Tuesday to hold a study session on the future of its nursing home. As it stands now, many Republicans favor considering divesting the county of the home if fiscal conditions don't improve, and Democrats mostly want to keep it running. Here's what some of the made to say to The News-Gazette's Paul Wood:

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"At this point, there's going to have to be some awful serious changes made for the nursing home to be successful. (Divesting) has got to be at the back of a guy's mind. We need to look at outsourcing, among other ideas to keep expenses down. Our expenses seem to be higher than at other (nursing) homes." – Chris Doenitz, R-District 1

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"I would be in favor of setting a target date of no longer than a year and a half for the home to be operating in the black. If after that time it was still in the red, I would hope other options such as selling it would be on the table for serious consideration. I will no longer vote to give more money to sustain operations. It is unfair to taxpayers and other departments to continue with draining funds that are needed by all. I would also not object to placing a ballot question for the public to respond to on how they would like to have the board approach the operations." – Stan James, R-District 2

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"It's a critical time for the nursing home. We can't continue to subsidize it out of the General Fund. I haven't voted in favor of any of the 'loans,' nor will I. I was hopeful that putting a board of directors together to run the (nursing home) like DeKalb County could help to turn things around, but instead we put together an 'advisory board' that has no teeth, in my opinion. So, I'm not as optimistic." – Kevin Hunt, R-District 2

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"Our first priority with the Champaign County Nursing Home should be to immediately take advantage of opportunities to reduce operational expenses that would not sacrifice patient care. We should not contemplate other options until operational changes are implemented." – Brad Jones, R-District 3

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"The Republican Caucus is deeply concerned about the continued financial difficulties of the Champaign County Nursing Home. This situation has reached a critical point, where if decisions are not made immediately in the best interest of the home, residents and employees, the ability for the county to conduct other critical county functions could potentially be impaired. All realistic options for stabilizing the situation at the home need to be discussed by all 27 county board members at the April 15 special meeting." – Greg Knott, R-District 4, on behalf of the caucus

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"I am in support of a county-run and administrated nursing home. The current condition of the nursing home has at least two major issues; however, a third area could help with the lack of resources that need real attention: (1) ending the contract nursing issue; (2) work with the state more assertively to address the Medicaid crisis; and (3) fill the nursing home's open rooms for long-term care." – Carol Ammons, D-District 5

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"We have a responsibility to keep our word and take care of our people." – Lloyd Carter, D-District 5

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"Continuing to fund the nursing home is core to the county's mission. There are counties in Illinois that are not having the problems we are. Despite what Mr. Buffenbarger told us at the last board meeting, Peoria County's nursing home ran ahead last year. This is not a problem of the feasibility of running a public nursing home. For whatever reason, this nursing home administration and this county board has been unable to cope with the nursing home's challenges. This is not a question of privatization; this is a question of competence." – Michael Richards, D-District 6

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"I don't advocate lending the nursing home money; however, if the facility needs a loan in order to see it through difficult times, then I'm not against that, as long as the source of the loan isn't contrary to how we have promised taxpayers their tax dollars would be used. It should be noted that the best way to let the nursing home live within its budget would be to keep a more stringent eye on it, its administration and its finances, so that in future it doesn't have to ask for loans in order to function." – Matthew Gladney, D-District 6

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"As a Democrat, I continue to support the nursing home. I believe that the voters overwhelmingly and in every precinct in the county voted yes twice to continue the nursing home. I do believe that we need to continue to support it financially, especially since there will be a change in Washington in 2009. The current administration has been starving the states, including Medicaid funding, and I believe that the new Medicaid rate which we have been given is heavily related to federal funding. Hopefully, that will change, and people will become a priority again." – Claudia Gross, D-District 6

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"The nature of the nursing home business is a difficult one, with some things that cannot always be controlled. With changing some services, like expanding rehab and memory-loss services, the home had made strides in increasing revenue and cutting costs and had hoped for a balanced budget this year. Having the state cut the payments for each of our Medicaid patients by nearly $16 per day has been a blow and something we are trying to do something about. As the taxes are paid this summer the nursing home will be able to repay some of the loan. I think the people showed their support countywide in passing the referendum with 70 percent of the vote to build the new home and it was supported in every part of the county. It was the county nursing home which has often led the way in needed services within the community. It was the first to offer adult day care, respite care, and offered the first Alzheimer's services." – Jan Anderson, D-District 7

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"I think there are still other options available than for the county to divest itself of the nursing home. There are still some aspects of running the nursing home that can be tightened, so currently I am still in favor of the county running a nursing home. There will definitely have to be some tough decisions made very soon." – Carrie Melin, D-District 7

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"This is not the time to privatize the nursing home. It is losing money and incurring debt. We would get pennies on the dollar for the $24 million facility." – Board chairman C. Pius Weibel, D-District 7

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"I support lending money to the nursing home when necessary. I support operating the nursing home within its budget, but, unfortunately, we are not proof against cuts in payment of government obligations and from other external and largely unpredictable impositions on the home. I am a 'to the last ditch' supporter of continued county operation of the home. Our home is one of the very best in the state, as indicated by the extremely low level of reported incidents of failure to meet standards. My constituents, as I seek them out, almost universally support the nursing home, even in the face of our very serious financial problems. I believe that the county is obligated to provide essential services to citizens who are unable to obtain them elsewhere. The nursing home, and its predecessor County Farm, have been part of our response to that duty." – Ralph Langenheim, D-District 8

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"I support continued funding ... both through the 0.03 percent rate voters approved in 2002 for maintaining the home, and as it pays off past loans from the General Corporate and other funds of the county's budget. I would argue with every power I possess against selling the assets of the home, and would support asking voters to increase the operating subsidy (approved 58 percent to 42 percent in 2002), should this become necessary. Although the county is not obligated to operate a nursing home, it is something we have done well for close to 100 years. In providing decent, professional care for the elderly – especially those who are less well off – we uphold a sacred trust that I am not about to violate. I'm most encouraged by the field of applicants who have applied to serve on its first board, and I am confident that this new leadership will find solutions to relieve our current financial stress." – Jennifer Putman, D-District 8

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"I favor keeping a publicly funded public Champaign County nursing home that breaks even financially or even makes a profit. There will be times when state Medicaid/Medicare rules change payment unexpectedly and an infusion of money will be needed. We have unforeseen overtime in the sheriff's department, but nobody says privatize that; we have massive attorney bills for outside counsel in murder trials, etc. I favored a much higher operational levy when the issue was placed before the voters, as I knew the one adopted would be inadequate. I think we need to ask the voters in November to vote yes or no on a realistic operational levy. If they say no, then it is time to consider selling the 'business.'" – Tom Betz, D-District 8

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"I support doing everything and anything possible to keep the nursing home a county nursing home, supporting Medicaid patients and others with superior care. It may not be possible to do so long-term because the home is currently depleting all county funds and resources. We are analyzing with great urgency everything that can be done to offset the reduction (by $600,000) in Medicaid reimbursement this year and to reduce (currently approximately $1 million a year) the rate we spend on contract nursing because of the challenge of a nationwide nursing shortage." – Brendan McGinty, D-District 9