Mark Wilcox/Daily Mining Gazette The Canal View Houghton County facility is seen in this Thursday morning photo. Earlier in the week, the Houghton County Board of commissioners voted 4-1 to retain the county-owned facility.

HOUGHTON – The Canal View long-term care facility will not be offered for sale. During the regular May meeting Tuesday, the Houghton County Board voted 4-1 not to sell the facility. Commissioner Joel Keranen was the dissenting vote.

The facility was one of three county-owned properties studied by the County Held Properties Committee since last fall. The committee is one of three formed after the defeat of an August millage proposal for the construction of a new jail. The Board of Commissioners formed the Jail Committee, along with the County Held Properties and Sharon Avenue & Jail Property-Use committees. Keranen was appointed the properties committee chair.

Much of the discussion Tuesday was a summary of past committee meeting conversations.

At the September 9, 2025 committee meeting, Canal View CEO Adam Laplander told the members that due to its nonprofit status, Canal View has been fully exempt from real estate taxes, so no real assessment on the property has been done in years. He said he would like to have an appraisal done.

At December’s properties committee meeting, Laplander said if the property was sold, the taxpayers would no longer be required to pay the millage, but 70 to 80 jobs would be lost. He said the facility has received several upgrades, including a new roof, boiler system, windows, elevators and water mains.

Laplander cautioned that that as a Class 3 facility, Canal View receives additional state funding that the state can recapture if the facility is sold.

He said another liability is the pension is a separate program that is 95/100% funded. The County would have to take over that liability if they sold Canal View, which is the only VA facility in the area.

Tuesday’s meeting Laplander said the pension liability for the fiscal year ending in 2025 was $3 million.

The requested appraisal of the facility was completed last month. The report, conducted by Health Trust for the canal View, was released on April 23. The appraisal reported the estimated the “as is” market value of the fee simple interest in the subject including the going concern, at $14.400,000. The appraisal states the facility is licensed for 197 beds but was only set up for 145 beds on the effective date.

Tuesday, Commissioner Glen Anderson said the county would take a loss if Canal View were to sold, considering the upgrades and improvements done to the facility, adding that a new owner would reduce staffing.

“To some degree,” said Anderson, “you are subsidized by taxpayers as far as the operation and capital.”

Board President Tom Tikkanen said the county residents have consistently stated their position on the Canal View at the polls. Millages supporting the facility have typically had some of the highest voter participation, he said, adding past millage requests and renewals have received more than 60% of voters have voted in favor of the facility.