Lehigh County commissioners want county Executive Tom Muller to fish for proposals for the management of Cedarbook Nursing Home, South Whitehall.

The board passed a resolution Jan. 15 requiring Muller to seek a new management company.

The proposal requires Muller to submit a recommendation to the board by May 13.

The county's contract with LW Consulting, which currently manages Cedarbrook operations, expires June 30.

Muller, however, is at odds with the board's request.

"It's not their [board of commissioners] role to dictate operational moves," he said.

Newly appointed Chairman Brad Osborne urged the board to work together.

"We're not combatants on the battlefield," Osborne said. "Let's get our jobs done in a positive way."

Commissioner Percy Dougherty said he no longer possesses confidence in LW Consulting's management abilities.

"We need a good management team," he said. "We have to get somebody new in there who is going to turn the facility around."

Although Muller said the board should abstain from involving itself in operational matters, he reiterated his commitment in seeking commissioners' approval for extending the contract with LW Consulting.

"I'm going to ask our board and the administration to engage each other in a positive way," Osborne added.