Suffolk consultant won't get finder's fee

Suffolk Comptroller Joseph Sawicki says that a consultant, Degere Physical Therapy Services of Lynbrook, is not entitled to any finders' fee from the $23 million sale of the county nursing home.

In a memo to lawmakers, Sawicki said Degere's contract stipulates no fee will be paid if the county sells to a nursing home operator previously identified by the county as a potential buyer. Sawicki's memo said buyers Israel and Benjamin Sherman "were in fact previously identified by the county twice trough two separate request for proposal processes" in 2009 and 2011. Earlier, lawmakers had questioned whether Degere was eligible for fees since it did not have a real estate license.

-- Rick Brand