Rockland County officials have introduced the new owners of the Summit Park Hospital and Nursing Home.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day announced Shalom Braunstein and Summit Park Acquisition Group as the new owners of the facility.

The sale had been in the works for more than a year. Day says the county could no longer afford quality care for patients and residents in the county-owned facilities.

The deal is seen as a way for the county to begin getting its finances in order. The new owners will pay Rockland County $36 million for a 99-year lease. Of that, $26 million will underwrite the change in ownership and the remaining $10 million will help the county with its deficit.

Residents in the area say they will see a loss in county jobs. County officials say a new owner is the only way to preserve health care services for county residents.

Day says he hopes to have the Summit Park facilities in private hands by early next year.