By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

WaKEENEY -- A second suitor for the troubled Lutheran Nursing Home has stepped forward.

As a result, the Trego County Commission on Monday decided to delay -- for at least two weeks -- a decision on who might be the future owner of the nursing home.

The group that owns the Hays-based Cedar View Assisted Living Facility expressed its interest in the possible purchase of the WaKeeney facility. Although its attorney had notified Trego County Attorney Dave Harding late last week, official notice didn't come until about 20 minutes before commissioners met to discuss the home.

Originally, commissioners had planned on moving ahead with making a decision concerning the sale of the home to Deseret Health Care, a Utah-based company that has indicated its desire to purchase the home.

Barely 10 days ago, Deseret representative Dennis Cunningham visited WaKeeney to once again discuss its plans for the home with commissioners and a growing number of residents -- many of whom either work for the home or have family members there -- who are concerned about what the ownership change might mean.

Those same concerns were voiced Monday when Brad Frickey, managing member of Plains Assisted Living, the group that owns and operates Cedar View, attended.

Frickey initially wanted commissioners to delay making a decision on the sale of the Lutheran Home for 30 days so he could review financial statements and submit a bid.

Commissioners instead agreed to a two-week delay, for both Frickey and the Deseret group.

"They're wanting to make a decision in two weeks," Harding said. "They're trying to figure out how to be fair in this thing."

That fairness issue is a result of Deseret's previous -- and public -- offer of $300,000 for the nursing home. Nothing has been in writing, however.

Trego County agreed to purchase the nursing home from bondholders for $250,000 and had planned to sell it to Deseret. All that was before Cedar View's owners stepped forward.

Lutheran Home administrator Sandy Cline was expected to turn the financial statements over to Harding on Monday afternoon so they could be forwarded to both Frickey and Cunningham.

Cunningham has been seeking the statements to secure financing for the property.