Portage Manor Taskforce releases newest plans to save the building

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -The Portage Manor Taskforce has released its latest proposals to keep the facility open to the public, but it will not present the plans publicly to the Board of Commissioners Tuesday night.

Portage Manor is a facility for mental health patients and elderly patients with physical disabilities, funded by St. Joseph County.

In a 2-1 vote, the commissioners decided to shut it down, but back in March they invited the public to present plans to keep it open. 

Commissioner Carl Baxmeyer met with the taskforce last week and says the board does not feel the need to have a full presentation at Tuesday night's meeting because the proposal was released to the public beforehand.

Instead, the commissioners say they want to read the proposals at the meeting and have time to assess them before coming back with questions.

The commissioners say they'll look at the proposals from the taskforce and from Dr. Sylvana Atallah, a local doctor who expressed interest in buying the building to sustain it.

The Portage Manor Taskforce plans include four options that detail different ways the facility could be sustained by St. Joseph County or an outside, private investor.

After highlighting the four potential options, the taskforce then gave their best recommendation for the building, choosing the private partnership as the best answer to the group's four biggest concerns, including:

• The residents' quality of life
• The ability to operate Portage Manor effectively
• Long- and short-term financial investment
• The long-term operation of the building

You can read the full report below: