Editor:

The Legislature has not done its “due diligence” (its homework) on “The Villages” and has routinely exaggerated its losses.

Not only did Orleans County not even ask The Center for Governmental Research to estimate the cost of a feasibility study as Genesee had done, it has failed to turn “A” and “B” wings into income producing space, leaving them largely useless for 6 years.

According to CGR’s August 2013, “The Future of County Nursing Homes in New York State,” the occupancy rate at “The Villages” is unacceptably low. Billing irregularities abound, and efforts to recover owed reimbursement have not matched Genesee’s.

Losses have been made to appear larger than they are by creative accounting. Two sets of books are maintained. Money received SOLELY because we operate a county nursing home that accepts “hard-to-place” residents is NOT counted against ”The Villages” account because the match for it comes out of the general fund.

Consequently, Mr. Callard claimed a $1.5 million dollar loss in January 2011 and changed it to $365,000 in October of that year. That is a FACT! The County then claimed “an audited loss of $2.1 million” for 2012, when its LDC Board realtor said it was $295,000 (see “The Daily News” for August 23, 2013 ).

It is time to give them a grade. Our votes should be used as a report card. We should give them a (Row) “A” for their excellent attempts to mislead the public, or a (Row) “F” for poor performance as our representatives.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

(Kent is a candidate for Orleans County Legislature running under the Democratic and “Save Our Nursing Home” lines.)

Editor:

I have lived and paid taxes in Orleans County for 48 years. In 2009, my mother was a resident of “The Villages” for 5 months until her death at age 97. When I read reports of the decision by the Legislature to sell the nursing home to a private, for-profit corporation because it was “a losing proposition” and was “costing the taxpayers millions of dollars,”  I felt a vital interest in the issue.

Because of conflicting statements in the press, I secured a copy of the 2013 Orleans County Budget and have been studying it for many weeks. I discovered the following surprising facts:  The cost (appropriations) of operating “The Villages” for the year was projected to be $11,273,050. The total income (revenue) was projected to be $11,352,730 – for a projected SURPLUS of  $79,680.

Although the basic operation of The Villages was projected to be a surplus, the payment of $919,856 toward the remaining long-term bond ($8,300,000) for reconstruction  of the buildings in 2007 resulted in a final cost to the county of  $840,176. That’s all. Not millions, like the Sheriff’s Department ($3,013,385) or the Jail ($3,437,418) or Social Services ($12,723,258) etc.

The Grand Total cost to the county taxpayers in the 2013 budget is projected to be $18,678,180. Of that grand total, the bill from The Villages is only 4.5 percent!  Actually, it’s all the rest of the county budget that is a “losing proposition” and is costing the taxpayers millions!!

Another factor that puts the financial facts of The Villages in perspective is that it will cost the taxpayers $50,153 MORE for just the two offices of the District Attorney and Public Defender ($890,329) than for the operation of the nursing home for the whole year!!  And, The Villages employs 101 full-time and 64 part-time people who provide  personal, quality, 24 hour-a-day care to the 120 nursing home residents and up to a dozen rehab patients.

The Legislature is not being “responsible” to the taxpayers by selling off our nursing home when its share of our tax bill is so small and what it provides to Orleans County is so great!

Apparently, the Legislature doesn’t want to know or care what the public thinks about its decision regarding the future of The Villages. Their attitude seems to be that they know what’s best for the taxpayers, and they just ignore their constituents’  wishes.

I left a phone message and sent two letters to my representative on the Legislature. I heard nothing from him until he appeared at my door campaigning for votes for re-election.

In a phone conversation with Mr. Nesbitt, our CAO, he argued for the sale of The Villages by saying that three other counties in the state with less than 50,000 population have sold their nursing homes to private corporations.

This reminded me of what parents reply to their children who ask to do something foolish and say “all their friends are doing it”“If your friends decided to jump off a cliff,  would you want to do that too?”

I wish someone would interview the nursing home employees, residents and taxpayers of those three counties and find out if they are better or worse off, glad or regretful that the sale was made and then report the findings to us before final actions are taken with our nursing home.

So, are there other unstated reasons that the legislators, except Mr. Bower, want to sell The Villages? One legislator told me that he didn’t think the taxpayers should have to pay for the retirement and other benefits that the NH employees receive through their union contract. He said he never had retirement benefits during his years of employment. Yet  Orleans County taxpayers contribute toward all other county employees’ retirement  benefits.

It appears that the legislators’ minds were firmly made up BEFORE the Public Hearing last Feb. 25^. Less than 30 minutes after the hearing (not two days), five of the six legislators present (Callard, Eick, Johnson, Rush and Smith) voted to proceed with the formation of an LDC that would find a buyer for The Villages. (Mr. Bower voted nay.)

Our Legislature has become like an oligarchy “government by a few, especially a small faction of persons.” But we still have the power to change our county government’s actions by voting for individuals who are more responsive to our wishes. If we don’t, we have no right to complain.

I’m thinking the only way the sale of The Villages could be at least paused and reconsidered would be if the Legislature, recognizing the ground swell of opposition,  would table the issue until after the voters have the opportunity to voice their wishes at the ballot box. That’s the way a democracy works.

Diana Dudley
Albion

Editor:

Like everyone else in Orleans County I received a campaign mailer this past week from the Republican incumbents on the County Legislature. What stunned me about the piece was the use of the word “divisive” to describe the diverse slate of candidates who are campaigning to unseat them.

How are opposing candidates supposed to run for office? Must they promise to match the incumbents’ views in order to be considered authentically “non-divisive”? Do the incumbents believe that there is something inherently wrong about opposition candidates actually having different views? That a candidate is offering a different point of view is not divisive.It is how democracy works.

Not surprisingly, the purpose of the mailer is to undermine the effort of Concerned Citizens of Orleans County to stop the Legislature from selling The Villages of Orleans to a for-profit business.The effort of Concerned Citizens has inspired a diverse slate of Democrats, Conservatives, Independents and even (gasp!) Republicans to run for the County Legislature in November with a pledge to stop the proposed sale of The Villages.

In order to save our county nursing home, residents of each town have two at-large challengers and one district challenger to choose from on Nov. 5.

So, yes, I am offended by the use of the word “divisive” in this campaign literature from the Republican incumbents.I think the mailer demonstrates the fear of the incumbents that the county-wide effort of Concerned Citizens has been getting excellent traction with voters.In this respect I agree with the motivation behind their campaign flyer: they are right to be worried.

James Renfrew
Clarendon

Editor:

The Nursing Home is NOT closing, nor was it ever closing. To save the Nursing Home from closing and not bankrupting the county taxpayers, it is being sold. The residents will still be there, the employees will still have jobs and the services will be available for future residents.

Since all attempts to increase revenues, including having Public Health and Board of Elections located in the building and paying rent, were unsuccessful and losses continue to grow, the only option left to save this facility is to sell it to a private sector firm that is in the nursing home business.

Considering that 94 percent of the facilities in the state are privately run, this is the right thing to do, using the elderly as a political pawn is the wrong thing to do. Government should not be involved in health care at any level, the private sector does everything better than government can ever do it.

To address the financial issues facing our county, the Legislature has cut departmental expenses to the bare bones without effecting services.  We have reduced the county workforce by consolidating job functions when someone retires, consolidating departments to reduce the number of management and sharing services with surrounding counties to keep programs available for our county.

The Legislature works closely with the EDA on attracting and retaining businesses. I am the legislator assigned to the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors to keep communications open so that business concerns can be addressed and to insure that all are working together to promote our county.

Tourism is a $20 million dollar industry for our county. The fishing in Oak Orchard is one of the top spots in the country, with people from as far away as Europe coming here to fish. When this fishing spot was in jeopardy of closing, the legislature negotiated a deal to keep it open.

The current issue facing tourism and recreation is the dredging of the harbor. There are spots where the water is only three feet deep due to sediment build up. Funding has been secured to have the harbor dredged and help keep tourism alive in our county. We are voicing our concerns over the new lake water level recommendations to the state and federal authorities.

We are also working to cleanup “brownfield properties,” to get them back into the private sector and back into productive use.

Orleans County and Genesee County share our director of Public Health. We are spearheading this shared service in the state. Our Department of Health is one of 18 health departments in the country and the only one in the NYS to receive federal money to access the success of this shared service.

To address the ever-increasing cost of Social Services, the Legislature is working with the DA’s office and law enforcement in fighting fraud. Last year DSS stopped the payout of $1.7 million and recouped $88,000 from fraud violators.

The Legislature has hired another part-time fraud investigator to further this effort.  We know there are those who need assistance and they should receive it but those trying to cheat the taxpayers out of money should be denied and prosecuted.

I support and work with SPOC in their efforts to stop the reopening and expansion of the landfill in the Town of Albion. I have met with Gov. Cuomo’s office, Sen. Schumer’s office, Sen. Gillibrand’s office, Sen. Maziarz, Assemblyman Hawley, local DEC and State DEC officials and experts from around the country regarding leachate and orphan landfills.  This landfill should not reopen. The only ones who will benefit are those that own the landfill. The rest of us pay the price.

Thank you. It is an honor to be your public servant in this great county.

Donald Allport
Legislator At-Large
Gaines

Editor:

To the Hard-working citizens of Orleans County: On Oct. 23, the Orleans County Conservative Party handed County Legislature Chairman David Callard 1,100 signatures to repeal the 4 percent fuel tax on home heating oil, gasoline, diesel, propane and wood.

We want to thank all of you who signed that petition. Our chairman, Allen Lofthouse, was even willing to compromise at just the home heating oil to start. The answer was the same as it was when asked to do this in 2008.

“Sorry, we feel for you, but we the government can’t afford it.” Five years later and still the same answer. This is the same Legislature that is bragging for its re-election touting all the great things it has done – Done for government, the employees of government and those attached to government.

For you, they can’t even throw you a few crumbs so you can be warm or drive to work. What they will be throw you is a tax increase. These county elites are out of touch with you. I advocate voting them all out.

On Nov. 5 invoke the declaration of independence and the term limit clause on these incumbents that have overstayed their welcome. Vote on Row C the Conservative line. We are regular people and we are fighting for you.

Paul Lauricella Jr.
Lyndonville
Vice Chairman Orleans County Conservative Party

Editor:

A while back, I wrote an observational editorial commenting on the resistance concerning the transfer of the county nursing home to a private firm. I pointed out that it would be good for taxpayers and the only changes the residents would experience would be positive in nature. I wondered what the critics were trying to save the nursing home from?

The upcoming election literature cleared up my confusion. Mr. Kent and two or three friends, according to the handouts and published items, are trying to save the nursing home from reality! They seem to be climbing on the backs of the “frail elderly” while attempting some sort of transparent political power grab here in the county. I have not read one comment or suggestion addressing real issues confronting county taxpayers.

New York state mandates, the so-called SAFE act, emergency communications, enhancing tourism, lowering taxes, the plight of small business all seem to fade away while they rage against a well thought out, thoroughly discussed, voted upon and court approved policy insuring the nursing home’s long term viability.

In a situation where an issue has to be created it usually involves “the children.” In this election cycle, the attempt is being made to turn the well being of a group of truly vulnerable patients into a vehicle to propel this group into a position to do … what? I have not seen one reality based proposal or suggestion put forth.

The burden that increased taxes produces is real. The quality of life and day-to-day care of the nursing home residents is real. Responsible, pragmatic and visionary county government is real. Attempting to create division to satisfy vested interests and political “wannabes” is not.

There is one more mystery to be solved. Why would a local political party, labeling itself “conservative,” support candidates whose sole purpose in running seems to be maintaining the expansion of government, via ever increasing taxes, into an area best served by the private sector?

Paul J. Blajszczak
Medina

Editor:

Have you ever heard the expression, “You get what you pay for?” There are many situations in which this phrase aptly applies. Here are just a few:

Fine wine If you’re having a dinner party and trying to make a good impression on your boss or your in-laws, you probably don’t want to start it with a glass of “Two Buck Chuck” from Trader Joe’s.  Spend a little more – it’s worth it!

You’re ready to pop the question to your girlfriend of five years. Just a hunch, but you wouldn’t think of shopping for that engagement ring at Big Lots. Spend a little more. It’s definitely worth it.

When your teen-ager has passed his/her road test and it’s time to help buy a first car, do you go out and buy some old thing that barely runs and has just barely passed inspection? Of course not – your children are precious to you and you want them to be safe. You spend a little more and you know it’s worth it!

If your aging parents need a little extra help in the home and you have to find someone to help out, do you hire the cheapest person you can find without fully checking references? It’s not likely that you would consider approaching the problem in this manner. Parents are too important for money to be an overriding and deciding factor in whom to hire. You want caring, quality, honest and dependable people. It definitely is worth some extra money.

Now, suppose your parent(s) have to leave home and take up residence in a nursing home when they no longer can safely remain in their own homes. Will you likely want the best quality care you can find for them? I’m sure the answer is a resounding “YES.”

Consider this: We who live in Orleans County have a quality, 4-star rated county-run nursing home – The Villages of Orleans – right here in Albion.  The employees who have been responsible for that 4-star rating – the nurses, CNAs, cleaners food service workers, office staff, social workers – are all highly trained, caring, local, tax-paying workers who provide excellent care for our infirm and vulnerable seniors. And for this kind of excellent service, we pay a really miniscule amount each year on our county tax levies.

Does it make sense to sell this nursing home to a private operator with the real possibility that there could be a decline in the quality of care provided and a questionable long-term survival outlook for that nursing home if profits aren’t sufficiently high?

To me, the answer is clear – it should NOT be sold!  And even if we have to pay a little more to keep it a public facility – IT’S DEFINITELY WORTH IT!

Please get out and vote on Nov. 5. All current legislators who are running for re-election are committed to selling our nursing home. Consider casting your vote on the Democratic, Conservative, and Save Our Nursing Home lines for candidates who want to keep “The Villages” a public facility.

Kay Walter
Town of Barre
Member of the Concerned Citizens of Orleans County

Editor:

Despite what I keep hearing, running a county government is not a one-issue proposition. We face numerous issues. Limiting yourself to one issue as a candidate is not doing the public a service. Evaluating the whole picture based on a limited view does not lead to sound decision-making.

Did you know that 94 percent of nursing homes in the United States of America are not owned by state or county government? In fact, U.S. News and World Report does a ranking of all nursing homes in the United States. Thirteen of the homes in Western New York were given an elite ranking by the U.S. News and World Report. Based on the rhetoric, you would think that they were all county-owned public facilities. In reality, none of them were; twelve were private and one was a VA facility.

Did you know that there are 17 counties in New York State with less than 55,000 people? Only three of those counties own a nursing home (it used to be more). In the arena of public services, this is a high end, non-mandated item.

Unfortunately, it’s one that is getting a lot more expensive. I realize that this is an emotional issue. But, losing millions on this operation doesn’t make sense. If we can see that a high level of service is maintained at no cost to the county taxpayers aside from their capped Medicaid contribution that every county makes (whether or not they operate a nursing home), don’t we have an obligation to see that it happens? Many counties and many with more means than Orleans County are making the decision to exit the nursing home business for this very reason.

Did you know that when the county asked for help from the CSEA a while back, we received a copy of the Chairman’s letter back from CSEA with a handwritten note on it that simply said, “No thank you!!”?

There has been a lot of talk about what the CGR study said. Very little of it has been based on the actual conclusions. There are four major points that were part of the actual conclusions.

1. “Despite a frequent assertion that county homes offer the highest possible quality of care, the data are mixed on this.” (p. 137)

2. “recent sales of county nursing homes, the evidence suggest that generally low-income and other safety net individuals have not fallen through the cracks or been forced to go outside the community for nursing homes services.” (p. 134)

3. “Residents at the time of sale have been well taken care of and generally, with some exceptions, county nursing home employees seem to have been fairly treated and absorbed into the new owner workforce as appropriate,” (p. 137)

4. “On balance we conclude that it is generally better for a county to sell its nursing home than to either close it or continue to lose significant amounts of taxpayer money, as long as it is able to sell to a responsible buyer meeting carious criteria and expectations important to the county.” (p. 138)

We have been elected to do what’s best for all the residents of the county. That is what we are doing based on all the information. The Villages will be there for our residents for a long time to come. We are saving the nursing home and we are trying to save everything else in the process.

William Eick
Shelby
Legislator, District 1 – Clarendon, Ridgeway & Shelby #1, 2, 4

Editor:

There are a number of things that people should be clear about prior to what may be one of the more significant elections in Orleans County history. They involve questions of judgment. Taking credit for things we had little to do with is another issue.

Our county jail upgrade was largely the result of good fortune and Tom Beilein becoming Commissioner of Corrections. As with the Emergency Radio System upgrade, votes by the Legislature to formalize these things would likely have been “no-brainers” for any Legislature, though laying the groundwork for them did consume a great deal of time.

Several recent moves by the Legislature show questionable judgment. Giving the visiting nurse service to HCR, when Medina Hospital was willing to pay for it was one. Creating a “Manager of Public Safety” title in 2010 to justify a $10,000 pay raise was another. The unanimous 2010 vote disapproving of a State bill that would have increased jail time for criminals who wound police with armor-piercing ammunition in the commission of a crime has to make one wonder.

The choice to help someone from the Town of Evans go into a competing business across East Center Street from Medina Lumber, not long after the Snyders brought that business back to life, points out the need to do more for local business people. Another is the apparent unwillingness to help numerous Oak Orchard businesses at “The Point” by working creatively to save the bridge below Narby’s.

But it gets more interesting. “Truth in Taxation” was rolled out on January tax bills in 2012 after people were not scared enough to sell the County Nursing Home in 2011. It hardly qualifies as truth, and it turned out to be an eye-opener. Many were amazed that garbage collection costs far more than keeping faith with our infirm elderly.

Moving The Continuing Day Treatment Mental Health program to Batavia in December 2012, exposed taxpayers to considerable risk. As Sharon Ludwick pointed out, it made no financial sense. It also resulted in decreased service delivery effectiveness for “seriously and persistently” mentally ill Orleans residents.

Then there was the decision to liquidate “The Villages.” When the County Republican chairman questioned it last winter, he was reportedly told not to worry because it would all be wrapped up by Election Day! The Legislature didn’t do its homework on this one. It didn’t even inquire about having The Center for Governmental Research do a study of “The Villages,” as it had done for Genesee County. The sentiment expressed at a public hearing in February was ignored. An LDC was set up, answering only to Chairman Callard. It is so secretive that we cannot even be told who the bidders for “The Villages” are.

Throughout this saga, the public has been repeatedly misled. The County’s “Frequently Asked Questions” contains numerous misrepresentations of fact.Its publication in “The Friendly Carrier” involved questionable ethics to say the least. Numbers given by County leaders vary widely from one time and circumstance to anotherby as much as $1.8 million for 2012.

One County leader insists on distorting the findings of the CGR study, “The Future of County Nursing Homes in New York State.” The study does not even mention Orleans County, much less say it should sell “The Villages.” It does say that the three things that counties should consider when deciding to sell are the rate at which the senior population is growing (45 percent increase between 2010 and 2030 here), the numbers of “hard-to-place” residents in the area and the number of alternative long term care facilities available locally. Consider Orleans the “CGR trifecta.”

While there is a mountain of information to digest on this subject, it should be noted in closing that, if “The Villages” is sold, taxpayers will be handing over nearly $6 million to a private operator yearlyif the private operator keeps Medicaid eligible resident numbers where they are now. (CGR suggests such numbers will decline.)

Orleans taxpayers will pay for Medicaid eligible residents no matter where they go for care.  Orleans taxpayers will pay $900,000 each year through 2026 without the benefit of State and Federal support. That is more than the property tax impact this year! Check your tax bills!

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

(Kent is a candidate for Orleans County Legislature, endorsed by the Democratic Party and also running under the independent “Save Our Nursing Home” party.)

Editor:

When you go the polls on Nov. 5 to elect a County Legislature, please consider the following:

The incumbents are POOR BUSINESS PEOPLE.

They “sold” our County Visiting Nurse service and NEVER got paid for it.

They gave outpatient mental health services to Genesee County. Now Genesee County gets the Medicaid money – and Orleans County pays it to them!

The Legislature has hired a consultant to look into Medicaid billing errors, but has not hired anyone to recover amounts they missed.

The incumbents do not keep their word:

They tried to sell our nursing home in 2011 – when an independent audit stated the finances weren’t as severe as Mr. Callard thought and opposition arose – it was tabled until 2014. Then in February of 2013 they voted to sell by the end of 2014.

The sale is being handled by their own Secret Society – known as an LDC that doesn’t appear to report to us owners/voters.

The incumbents have not said what exactly they are selling: The Nursing Home building? The equipment? The land it sits on?

What happens to the other county offices that are in that complex – do we pay rent to the new owners? Build a new building to house them?

Since the reimbursement for Medicaid takes up to two years, there is a shortfall in cash flow, but in terms of bottom line loss the most recent answer is only available for the fiscal year 2011. So how did the legislators come up with the tax levy?

You, the voters, don’t know how much money has been collected in the past two years (there has been a line item on the taxes) – if it was all used, and if any was left, how much? Where is it?

I urge you to let these county employees go and let some one else do our business for a while! Vote for Non-Incumbents!

Susan Defendorf
Holley

Editor:

Does anyone remember Wolcotts Dairy? Gus Revelas’ soda shop? Grants? Ames? Landauers? Super Duper? Carrolls?

They were all wonderful businesses that existed here in Orleans County when I was growing up. I have very fond memories of these places, as many likely do. Wolcotts had the best milkshakes ever and boy, do I miss them! Gus’s shop had all kinds of penny candies. They were privately owned businesses that have, sadly, come and gone.

Businesses do come and go, and we are left with memories when they leave. Of course, other businesses come to take their place. But some things are never quite the same.

It is up to the whims of the market and the individual circumstances of the owners as to whether or not they will survive. Sadly, many of the young people today have missed out on the joys of the businesses we used to have.

Our County Legislators (with the exception of George Bower) would have you believe that the Villages of Orleans Nursing Home is a business. The chairman has actually stated that we can’t make money on our frail elders, and has also said that this county should not be in the business of managing a nursing home.

Actually, the Orleans County Nursing Home is not a business, but a SERVICE that we provide for our seniors and those needing long-term care. It represents our commitment to care for our seniors, a commitment that made by the County Board of Supervisors in 1830 – 183 years ago!

This is a necessary service. All of those businesses that I mentioned above are now gone, having been replaced with some other business (some are good, some not so good). However, the nursing home was there back then and it is still here. But will it be here in five years?

Our Legislators are assuring us that they are trying to save the nursing home by selling it. But selling it will place it out of the public domain and into the market place. A guarantee of good care for our seniors will become a crap shoot in the market place. It will only be here if some group can make a lot of money.

It became a public service in the first place so that it would remain stable, a guarantee for our seniors.This is critical for our community. We can’t leave these services to the whims and foibles of the world of business. Our seniors and their families are too important. Look at how often our stores, our banks, and other businesses have changed hands around here. How many times do we want to see the nursing home change hands?

The Concerned Citizens group has been working very hard for many months now trying to get this message out. We have had meetings, protested in front of the Courthouse, wrote letters, called legislators, put up signs, obtained petition signatures, held spaghetti dinners and on and on. We need help to keep this Nursing Home public.

We have a right to expect that our Legislators care what the public thinks, that they listen and respond with respect, that they don’t try to shut out voices by establishing an LDC, that they don’t make false statements such as “referendums are illegal,” or “the CGR report supports our decision to sell,” or “we face a $2 million dollar deficit,” or “it is a done deal.”

And they don’t send out glossy, expensive ads that say that Concerned Citizens (Democrats, they falsely called us) are trying to scare you. We have a chance to change this by voting for our candidates on the Save the Nursing Home line: Gary Kent, Jack Gillman, Gregory ‘Emil’ Smith, and Linda Rak. And two other candidates we have endorsed: David Schult and Fred Miller.

All of these candidates will listen to you with respect, and are committed to saving this nursing home. Please go out and vote on Nov. 5 and help us save this Nursing Home!

Chris Loss
Albion

Editor:

After three years of attempts to scare the people with exaggerated figures and “Truth in Taxation” tax bills, the people of Orleans County may still be confused, even if County leaders haven’t succeeded in scaring them.

First, all incumbent legislators support the sale of “The Villages of Orleans.” These five include Donald Allport, David Callard, William Eick, Lynne Johnson and Henry Smith, Jr. Chairman Callard has no opponent in this election, but the others do.

All the candidates endorsed by the non-partisan Concerned Citizens of Orleans County oppose the sale. They include Fred Miller, Emil Smith, Linda Rak, David Schult, Jack Gillman and Gary Kent. Emil Smith is a registered Conservative, and four of the candidates have conservative backing. Linda Rak is a registered Republican supported by The Concerned Citizens.

We do not know where John DeFillips and Kenneth DeRoller stand on selling what belongs to the people of Orleans County. We do know that their opponents – Jack Gillman and David Schult – are against the sale.

The outcome of the Nov. 5 election could determine what happens to “Our” Orleans County Nursing Home.Though personalities are involved, it is the closest we will get to the referendum we were denied.

Bob and Marie Rice
Albion

Editor:

I am running for Yates Town Councilman. Let me tell you why. Since the town was audited in 2012, our board appears to be falling back into some old habits. In my opinion, there were no ramifications for the previous attorney’s poor advice. With the breaking of Town Law, overcharging in water district 4, the creation of questionable water districts, and an extension of a water line to benefit a friend, our Town still keeps employment of his firm. http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2012/yates.pdf.

There were no ramifications for years of poor book-keeping (Shared by Yates and Ridgeway) http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2012/ridgeway.pdf Both towns spent $16,000-plus with $2,000-plus in yearly upgrades to keep her employment and pension. She is the only employee that does not keep her hours at the Town. Instead she (Legislator Lynne Johnson) is allowed to do the books at her home I.E. her book-keeping firm, road deicing and dust control business under the same name Millennium Roads LLC.

She is a town employee yet has her own book keeping firm. Why are we shelling out for software and pension when we could hire the firm and avoid all those added costs? In my opinion, I do not believe with her job as a legislator, being in charge of committees, many meetings, and her bookkeeping duties at multiple towns and organizations that she should personally do our books. At the very least, any single person spread that thin cannot give us their full attention.

This year again our Town Board has overridden the tax cap and there will be a tax increase. It was explained it is the “Responsible” thing to do. I did not support it because doing the “Responsible” thing is doing what the people who elected you want. Right or wrong, it is an insult to almost every taxpayer when an elected official votes to override the tax cap.

This year James Whipple, who ishead of the Orleans County EDA, will be a contestant for Town Board. Mr. Whipple is paid in the six figures to use taxpayer monies tosupport a business welfare state with no accountability if the results are failure.

Do you think if you elect him to make decisions for your town, he will put your best interests first or that of government? From his record as a village trustee and his record as the EDA head, he will do what ever it takes to sustain and grow government.

In the past elections, residents have elected councilmen that have consistently voted to raise taxes every year and override the tax cap.

Mr. Bentley, also up for re-election, is probably the only board member who ever expresses concern over spending, regulations, or new equipment purchases, but he always votes in favor of it. He has consistently voted to raise taxes and override the tax cap.

This year the highway department got a new 1 ton truck and now a brand new loader at the cost of $155,000 with the old loader at a value of $50,000. The taxpayers will shell out $105,000.

Now come to find out the highway garage needs a new roof, somewhere in the $30,000 range. I would think that spending on the high end of $50,000 on refurbishing the old loader and running it for another five years, then taking the $30,000 savings and doing the roof would be the kind of thinking that would be explored by our elected officials. Sadly no.

I think if there was more scrutiny in the highway department budget and some cutting of non-essential spending in the public safety department, taxes would go down. If you elect me, I will find every dollar wasted and scream from the top of the mountain to stop it.

Voters, you have a clear choice: Vote on the Conservative line. I will never vote to raise your taxes or override the tax cap. I want to make government smaller. I will work with the departments to make sure what they have is adequate, but the days of non-scrutinized budgets and 4-year contracts have to end.

I will respect your private property rights and vote against technology that violates your privacy and 4th amendment rights. I will not single out for banning people from our parks. I will work on cutting government and taxes, staying out of your life as much as possible.

I believe that your pistol permit is the second amendment. All gun laws infringe on your right to keep and bear arms and should be repealed. What you eat, drink or put in your body is none of government’s business. How you live is none of government’s business. I will put my oath of office first and weigh the constitutionality of my decisions regardless of what an activist judge in a black robe has decided. I will fight Albany and Washington’s unfunded mandates and vote against them.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are just as valid today as they were when they were written. In November you have a choice. You can vote for R.I.N.O.S (Republicans in name only) or vote for a principled constitutional conservative with the values that made this country great, before the rise of the entitlement society and big local government.

Paul Lauricella
Yates

Editor:

The American conservative believes that America is great because it is good; goodness, here, meaning its citizenry is comprised of people with high morals and ethics.

In arguing for a county-run nursing home, apparently, there are those who falsely claim to have conservative leanings whose very arguments reveal their true ideology. You can’t claim to be conservative and believe the government can do a better job at running a nursing home than can the private sector.

A conservative understands that government does not need to be efficient in its operations. If a private entity loses money it goes out of business. Therefore, as part of its mindset and operation it looks to improve efficiencies and leaves no stone unturned when generating income.

If a government entity loses money it either taxes more or blindly borrows from tomorrow’s children. It is interesting how the current Legislature is being blamed for not looking for more revenue by utilizing “unused” space to generate more income at the nursing home. My question would be, why is this not currently being done by the people paid to manage the nursing home?

A private sector enterprise would not have allowed “useable space” to be left unused; they can’t afford it; the government can afford not to use idle space, which is why we end up in this predicament.

A conservative understands people are thoughtful, kind and compassionate. Non-conservatives don’t think this way as their ideology believes somehow only people employed by the government can properly care for the sick or the elderly. Apparently they think if the private sector runs the nursing home, the same people currently taking care of the elderly now will become callous, cruel, and uncaring and let people starve and die.

A conservative understands it is in the private company’s best interest to provide superior care to the people generating the income. If they get a bad reputation people will choose to go elsewhere and the private company ends up out of business.

A conservative loves his mother and father and takes care of them when they no longer can take care of themselves, no matter how inconvenient it is to them. They understand that sacrifice and suffering, while not desired, is necessary for the humanity of mankind. Love is built upon this foundation.

Conservatives wonder why they are expected to love someone else’s parents more than those parent’s own children do when it comes to elder care. “Why should I love your parents more than you do?”

Conservatives are very generous. They understand the famous person who said, “The poor you will always have ” They feel a responsibility to set aside some of their provisions to share with those in need. They know that when government becomes the middleman in helping the poor, the poor no longer feel grateful and the generous no longer feel compassionate.

Thus, instead of building bonds between those who have and those who have not, resentment is built between the two groups. Sadly, this animosity is fostered and exploited by politicians on both sides of the aisle (Republican politicians feed on the “- they don’t appreciate all the money you’ve given;” Democrats feed “ – the selfish rich won’t part with what they have.”)

However, when I personally bring your children shoes and see there is no bread on the table, I am moved with compassion to do more. When you bring a loaf of bread to my door and I see you have sold your coat to be able to afford to share what you have with me, I’m not going to say, “What? No butter?”

Truth be told, some of these “conservatives” arguing for government-run nursing homes are only conservative when it comes to their own pocketbooks and their own taxes but when it comes to spending someone else’s money lets have at it after all, “You have two smart phones, I only have one and you have a 56 inch LCD TV mine is only a 42 inch.”

Roger Bannister
Kent

Editor:

County government is the closest to the day to day needs of the public. When a county government operates in back rooms, behind closed doors, it is more like Washington and fails to take into account the voices of the people.

People can get easily confused when both Democrats and Republicans engage in verbal boxing matches as they lay blame on each other and continue to victimize Americans. When government fails to represent their constituents, there is a shutdown. This can happen on all levels of government: federal, state and county.

What is the most important role of an elected county official? The most difficult and challenging responsibility is to connect and communicate with the citizens in their jurisdiction. The County Legislature should inform and involve their voters.

An effective team of county legislators should communicate with the community so the latter knows what the local government is doing and the people should receive feedback when they approach the Legislature. Trust in government is crucial. When that is lost, there is a shutdown, and people begin to doubt the efficiency of their elected officials.

I have never run for public office, but as a registered Republican, I believe I am owed the following from my elected officials:

1. I want to know that the decisions my legislature makes are based on facts that are available to be reviewed and that debate is open to the public.

2. If I contact my legislators, I should be recognized and provided timely feedback.

3. Effective citizen involvement should be encouraged and respected as an integral part of county government.

4. Local governments should utilize techniques from the marketing and business world that center on delivering an honest message and providing opportunities to explore viable options to preserve county assets.

5. Citizens should be valued for their expertise and opinions on issues within the county. Local governments should encourage shared responsibility for community problem solving. This partnership helps the community and the local government as they tackle problems and simultaneously provides the constituents with a sense of ownership in their community.

If effective interaction between government officials and an informed citizenry is absent, it’s time for a change.

As I look over my own experiences with this present legislature, they have fallen short of my expectations, and I know I am not alone in this thought. On more than one occasion there has been an intentional misrepresentation of numbers on the financial portrait of The Villages, our county nursing home. Deliberate omissions on all county expenditures, related to taxes, have been blatant.

Months before the last county election, those who had loved ones in The Villages received a letter from the Legislature indicating their intent to privatize the facility. As the election drew near, the Legislature realized this was a hot bed topic and retracted that intention, indicating they did not want to sell.

As soon as the election was over, the Legislature picked up the baton and ran with their original intent. Well despite this verbal ping pong match that really bamboozled the public, one thing surfaced. The Legislature was not to be trusted.This Legislature has not been open to any debate on this issue of maintaining The Villages in the public domain.

Despite the presence of nearly 60-plus people at the Legislature meeting in February opposing this decision, they maintained their position on this issue and then had the blatant audacity to hand pick their LDC to finish it off. What an insult to the people they represent.

On more than one occasion I have contacted the legislators to at least get some questions answered. The only legislator to ever get back to me consistently was George Bower. Thank you, Mr. Bower, for doing your job.

Shame on the rest of you for shirking your obligation to one of your constituents. Instead of meeting the challenge of saving one of our most valuable assets in this county and relying on the business savvy of people who could have been instrumental in helping The Villages show more of a profit, this Legislature moved to the first exit sign and closed that door on possibility.

Thank God they’re not in the classroom where young minds are at stake. When a challenge presented itself, I taught young people to not always take the easy way out but to look at consequences for their actions and how those affect others around them. One needs to look at all the empty space at The Villages that, under effective management, could have been bringing in money over the years and ask the Legislature, “Why wasn’t this looked into?”

Actions speak louder than words. The purposeful actions of this present Legislature need to be carefully scrutinized by every citizen in this county before next month’s election. We the people, yes, we the people have the ability to change history, but not with the present Legislature. We need some new blood in there to represent the people and meet our needs.

Mary Bannister
Albion

(Bannister is a member of the Concerned Citizens of Orleans County.)