Editor:

As a long-time member of Orleans County, I feel the senior citizens of this county are getting cheated every day. First the closing of Lakeside Hospital in Brockport means those of us in eastern Orleans have to travel to Rochester for tests, outpatient or inpatient care. This is hard on the patient, the ambulance crews, and family members who must commute many miles to be with their loved one at a critical time.

Now they also want to take away our access to the County Nursing Home.  My mother spent the last three months of her life at the Villages of Orleans and received exceptional care.  The attendants were always friendly, made extra effort to help her adjust and add to her comfort. There is no way she could have afforded a private care facility.

Now my husband and I face the problems of aging bodies. Where will we go for care if that becomes necessary?  It certainly seems short-sighted to save a few dollars on the operation of the county facility and then have to make up big money to keep people in a private facility.

Why are the senior citizens who have supported Orleans County with their tax dollars and contributions for so many years, being singled out to bear all the budget cuts.  From Social Security to Medicare to our community facilities, cuts are aimed at the people who can least afford the losses.  Please rethink this foolish plan.

Joan Purvee
Holley, NY

Editor:

The candidate endorsements are over from the Orleans County Conservative Party. We want to assure the voting public that we did not take giving our endorsement lightly. We have hopefully produced candidates that have made it clear that they “will not” be voting to override the tax cap or be voting to raise your taxes.

Our Town Board candidates understand that we are the poorest county in the state and have the highest taxes in the country. We want to reverse that cycle of high taxation and it starts by getting serious about reducing the spending from “within” the government entity.

We have endorsed candidates for highway superintendent that have pledged to reduce spending and make as many in-house repairs to equipment as possible. By doing the maintenance on equipment in the highway department it will save the taxpayers thousands of dollars a year. Many highway departments pay others to do the basic servicing non-computer work. This has to stop. Unlike the Republican Party, we will take our candidates out to the woodshed if they stray from their promises. An endorsement given this year will not be given next time if they go against the tax pledge.

We see the Republican Party has completed its endorsements. The party has endorsed the same people that voted to raise your taxes year after year. The same taxers, spenders, fee raisers and regulators that have caused and kept this county Number One for all the wrong reasons. The party bosses have given them the nod. They continue to take the Republican voter base for granted. They have had no serious competition, so for all these years they have grown government, taken care of their friends and only now when total collapse is near they say they have to start doing things differently but with the same people. They have long lost their principles.

The Orleans County Republicans better understand that they have competition. The Conservative Party is asking you to vote for our endorsed candidates. We have endorsed Conservatives and Republicans who can no longer be a part of this falseness that has become the GOP in our county. For three years we have been fighting for you. We will continue to fight for you to keep more of what you have and work hard to cut property taxes so you can stay in your home. Cut taxes, not raise them. We care about making Orleans County an affordable place to live and an affordable place to do business.

So we ask all Republican and Conservative thinking people to come over to the Conservative Party. We have the principles that the Republicans have lost. It won’t be an easy fix. They have made a huge mess the last 13 years growing government. They give the same excuses year after year like a broken record at budget time. The problems they created and perpetuated. Vote for the Conservative endorsed candidate and vote for real change.

Paul Lauricella
Town of Yates

(Lauricella is treasurer of the Orleans County Conservative Party.)

Editor:

The case for selling the Orleans County Nursing Home (“The Villages of Orleans”) rests on speculation (See “Frequently Asked Questions” on the county website).  Some of it suggests declining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.  The “specter” of the impact of Obamacare has been raised in “Frequently Asked Questions.” There has been an attempt to focus our attention on the county’s burdensome higher retirement system contributions during the past four years.

Experts at a meeting held recently in Batavia called much of this speculation into question. One expert did say, “Medicaid reimbursement cannot be expected to increase (under the Governor’s Medicaid Re-design).”

The same source noted that the State Retirement system suffered a 26 percent loss during the stock market decline in late 2008.  The fund decreased from $154.4 billion to $108.5 billion at the market’s low point. As a result, municipalities such as Orleans County were hit with much higher retirement system contributions.

The fund has since recovered to over $160 billion, in spite of paying out $9 billion in benefits in the past year. A well-informed source at the meeting indicated that the higher rates of municipal contributions are likely to decline as of March 2014.

In regard to the impact of “Obamacare,” two participants knowledgeable on the subject of health insurance said that insurance provider competition under The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) would likely lower the cost of employee health insurance for a county.

The portrait of doom and gloom being painted by Orleans County leaders was not substantiated by the experts who took part in these discussions.

Sincerely yours

Jeanne Crane
Carlton

(Crane is chairwoman of the Orleans County Democratic Committee.)

Dear Editor:

Farming in New York is under attack once again by people who have never set foot on a farm, but think they know best how a farm should operate.  And frankly, if they succeed, I worry about the future of farming.  The legacy and landscape of agriculture in New York will undoubtedly change.

The New York Assembly, led by New York City lawmakers, passed the Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act under the guise that there are no protections in place to safeguard the hardworking men and women who work on our farms.  This assumption could not be more wrong.  There is a long list of state and federal protections that over see everything from workplace housing to health and safety standards to wages.

The Farm Labor Bill is also pushing for mandatory overtime on an individual 8-hour work day and collective bargaining. While these may work in a structured factory setting, they are not designed for a family farm. If employees should choose to strike during a critical week of harvest, a year’s livelihood could be lost.  Our dairy cows in need of milking would also be in put in harm’s way.  Also, Mother Nature dictates the schedule during planting and harvest seasons, not the farmer.  A rainy day may keep us out of the field and force us to play catch up the next day.

Overtime would force many farmers to limit workers to 8-hour shifts and seek other employees to fill in the gap.  The migrant farm workers who choose to come to this country to work hard for a given-season would be shortchanged.  Other farmers may simply choose to grow less labor intensive row crops, giving up on the fresh fruits and vegetables New York is known for.

In the end, farmers treat their employees well because it is not only the right thing to do, but because the farmers also depend on their workers for important jobs. If an employee was treated unfairly, they would simply find employment elsewhere. Many of our farm employees work for the same farms year-after-year.

I encourage you to write or call Governor Cuomo and your state senator and explain that if this bill should pass, farmers and farm employees will be hurt.

Sincerely,

Gary Kludt
President Orleans County Farm Bureau

Dear Editor:

What a wonderful event took place in Lyndonville, New York tonight, May 31.

Young and old were able to watch a sanctioned Pole Vaulting Meet. Six athletes competed at the White Birch Golf Course. One was the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal winner Jenn Suhr. What an amazing sight to witness. These women are world champions and we were able to witness them in action.

The only problem that I had was the music. I am not a prude but the vulgar wording in much of the music definitely was not for the ears of the young and the old.  Actually it was not appropriate in my opinion for anyone.  I do not have a problem with rap, but this was just vulgar.  I hope next week they are a little more selective with the lyrics.

Again what a wonderful evening, and it was very exciting. Way to go White Birch Country Club. You are a class act.

Kathy Luescher
Waterport

Editor’s note: Jenn Suhr and five other vaulters are scheduled for another meet 5:30 p.m. Friday at the White Birch.

To the Editor,

I am a taxpaying resident and family member to many residents at the Villages in Orleans County. I don’t usually have a lot on my mind that I care to share with people but I find myself pondering how to express my disappointment in the lawmakers of Orleans County. So many people in this country and county today have made it a way of life to take the easy way out in everything they do.

We have forgotten how to work for anything, we have forgotten how to handle our money and we have forgotten how to give back to the community that has given us so much. It is a new way of life to just throw things away when you have grown tired of them. Now, that is what we are doing to our elderly. We don’t need them for anything. They aren’t useful anymore. What does it matter where they are or if they are happy. Sad part is the county legislators are going to be old soon. Where are they going when they are no longer useful?

I have a 95 year old mother, who is a resident at the Villages. She told my son last week when asked how she liked it there, “It’s like heaven.” She looks better than she has in years and she is happy. What a load off my sister’s and my mind that we made the right decision to put her there six months ago. The best part is that my brother is also a resident there and has been there for several years. He is also pleased with the care he gets and was anxious for our mother to be there with him. It is a comfort to both of them to be in the same facility and to see each other when they want.

My mother-in-law was also there until two months ago when she passed away. She was given the very best care by a skilled staff with the highest standard of professionalism.

Sounds like a lot of family in one facility. Can’t leave out my brother-in-law. He is also a resident. Who knows where they will all be when the sale is final. It seems to me the lawmakers we elected don’t really care. They also like to take the easy way out. Things get a little tough just get rid of it.

I think that it is time to get some new people in office. This country was founded on a two-party system. Orleans County has only one party. Most of the time we don’t even have two candidates to choose from. Primaries are almost unheard of. It is time to make some changes. It is time that we elect some new people that listen to us. Are we just not making enough noise?

Diana Jeffords
Albion, NY

Editor:

My husband and I own a family cottage on Hanlon Road in Waterport on Lake Alice. We live in San Diego, Calif., but most of our family is in Waterport so we are there frequently throughout the year.

We read the articles on “Come Back Orleans” and it was very interesting because we were wondering ourselves what would it take to inspire the area for growth. My husband commented: “Fish Ladder.” Putting a fish ladder on Oak Orchard River at the dam site would enable salmon to swim upstream and jump, creating a spectacular scene that fishermen and conservationists would relish!

And all I thought of was a decent coffee house, a skate park for kids, and live music at the Farmers Market.

I would love to be involved in any organization that would help promote that. We have faith in the county that commerce will come back to Orleans County.

Robin Borrelli
Waterport, NY

Editor:

If you are still on the fence about supporting the sale of The Villages Health & Rehabilitation Center, consider the following:

The Office of the Inspector General of the Health & Human Services Department reported: “For-profit SNF’s (skilled nursing facilities) were far more likely than nonprofit or government SNF’s to bill for expensive levels of care, raising concerns about the validity of the claims”.

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News stated: “Nursing Homes owned by private investors and other types of for-profit operators had more total deficiencies than homes run by public companies, according to a new report.”

Here is a quote from a comment made on-line concerning the above: “I have worked for non-profit and for-profit. The difference is amazing. What a struggle in the for-profit to get new equipment, new technology and a satisfactory environment for staff. In the non-profits, it’s “what the resident needs, the resident gets.” Yes-the budget needs to still be watched due to all of the wonderful “cuts”, etc. that our government makes, but it is still 99.9 percent better than the other. These poor seniors don’t realize what the difference will be when they look for a place to spend their golden years!”

In the Legislature’s Frequently Asked Questions they state: “The notion that a privately-run facility does not deliver comparable care to a publicly-run facility is untrue, and the data does not back it up.” The above data does seem to back up that very thing. Yes, public and private nursing homes are held to the same federal standards but that doesn’t mean they do it, as is documented above.

The county said they will stipulate that the sale can only proceed upon a guarantee that the buyer will not discharge existing residents. What does that say about potential future residents? A private owner will cherry pick and many of our community residents who cannot “pay their own way” may find themselves in an out-of-county facility. That does not save Orleans County money. The county of residence pays the Medicaid bill. And the resident loses because family and friends will not be able to visit as often.

This should not be a 7-person (Legislature) or 3 person (LDC) decision. If it is going to be considered at all, it should be made by the taxpayers of Orleans County.

Thank you for your consideration.

Grace Denniston
Member of Concerned Citizens of Orleans County
Albion, NY

The perception that opposition to the sale of Our Orleans County Nursing Home, “The Villages of Orleans,” is “political” doesn’t square with reality. The Orleans County Legislature is entirely Republican.  But, saying our opposition is “political” is off-base.  It is offensive to the many Republicans involved in the various activities of “The Concerned Citizens of Orleans County,” as well as those merely displaying yard signs.

Regardless of party, our only goal is to stop a sale we believe is NOT in the public interest.

A look at those working to stop the sale reveals an amazing amount of diversity.  Though I am a Democrat, our treasurer is a Republican.  Our secretary is non-affiliated.  The organizer of our hugely successful spaghetti dinner is a Republican.  Many of those who spoke at the Legislature’s public hearing in February are republicans. Several of our more adamant activists are Republicans, as are the two petitioners in our Article 78 action.

A close look at those who have taken part in our six demonstrations over the past three months reveals that participants included several registered Conservatives, a self-described “liberal,” numerous Republicans, three people who identify with the Tea Party, Democrats with no family connection to the Orleans County Nursing Home, and a number of C.S.E.A. members who are Conservatives, or Republicans, including their President.

There are many Democrats involved as well.  These include Grace Denniston, Kay Walter, Gail Miller, and Bob and Marie Rice, among others.

The proposed sale of Our County Nursing Home, following the ill-advised transfer of our Continuing Day Treatment Program to Genesee County, makes me think I should run again for the Orleans County Legislature. Should our Legislature Chairman dissolve the LDC and “shelve” the sale, I would happily withdraw from consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion, NY

Dear Editor:

Our County Legislature uses numbers to make their case for washing their hands of a 180-year commitment to some of our neediest and most deserving County residents. If you believe the six who support selling our Four-Star County Nursing Home, the responsible sacrifices our ancestors made are too much for us to bear.

For most of us, these “sacrifices” amount to a third of what we spend on mandated garbage disposal!  The amount we paid on a $100,000 assessment in 2013 was $51.14.  Garbage disposal costs each one of us $185/ year!

Your Legislature trumpeted a guessed at $1.1 million dollar loss for 2011 early that same year.  By October, Mr. Callard decided to pull the announced intention to sell Our County Nursing Home off the table before the election because, “The financials are looking better than expected.” Of course he denied ever intending to sell, even though residents’ families received a letter a year earlier telling them that the Home was to be sold!

If the Federal government sent us $4.6 million to offset Nursing Home costs after the election, and a Nursing Home “reserve” was created with $1.6 million in it, where did the remaining $3 million go?  That $3 million would have wiped out the three previous years’ losses. But we never heard anything about it.

This year, County leaders guessed we would be short $2.4 million.  The $1.6 million “reserve” had been created with federal dollars, leaving a guessed at $835,000 for taxpayers to pay (5.3% of the property tax levy).  Our leaders could choose to take 6% of 2012 sales tax revenue to pay off the $835,000 but choose not to.  Why is that?
And will the 2013 guessed at loss be adjusted two years from now when reimbursement normally arrives?  Or, will the final numbers remain a secret?

The manner in which reimbursements are received for long-term care services makes it very difficult to track what is actually happening.  They are normally received two years after expenses are incurred. And so, numbers games can be played, and they are.

Sincerely yours,

Gary F. Kent
Albion, NY

Editor:

I strongly urge all Orleans County residents to continue the fight to save their nursing home from being sold. If it’s sold I’m afraid it will follow in the footsteps of Orchard Manor. Private owners are in the business to make as much profit as possible no matter what it takes to accomplish that.

The first fiasco at Orchard Manor after new owner took over was when an unknown employee “mistakenly” changed insurance policies of most residents, without their knowledge or consent or that of whoever was responsible for handling their loved one’s affairs. This change automatically dis-enrolled the resident from their private insurance and shifted more of the financial responsibility to Medicaid, which shifted more of the cost to you the taxpayer. It also was more beneficial dollar-wise to the new owner.

Most all of us managed to get things changed back with major assistance from Office For Aging but not before it caused major headaches for all involved. The insurance company that people were switched to was sanctioned due to this questionable activity.

The most recent fiasco was Mother’s Day weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Remember how cold it was outside? Little did I know at the time that my mother’s room temperature went down to 60 each of those nights. Even though we visited on Sunday, she forgot to tell me that she had froze the previous two nights and little did she know that she’d freeze for the third night. When someone responded to her call button the first night, she was told that there was no one to call on nights and weekends for such problems.

She also understood them to say that it was not broken like it had been a couple of months before, but that it just wasn’t turned on. Excuse me, did they not listen to the weather forecast??? It should have been on and ready to go when the temperature dipped. NYS Dept of Health requires them to maintain a minimum temp of 68 which they certainly failed to do. When it was broken I think it got down to 63 for two to three nights. That also is unacceptable.

Why isn’t there an emergency plan to maintain heat when something breaks or there is a power outage? Most disturbing of all is to think that they are so busy jumping over dollars to pick up pennies that they don’t seem to care about the well being of the residents. I bet the owners and management had heat on in their homes that weekend.

This is only the tip of the iceberg of happenings/changes since OM became a for-profit business. That’s all it is now is a business to an out of town owner who has no ties or connections to this area other than his new possession that he will squeeze the life blood out of to make a profit.

I don’t know about anyone else but this bothers the hell out of me and I could cry knowing that my mom spent three nights freezing at 60 degrees and I did not know about it until after the fact. I feel that this is elder abuse and I reported it to the NYSDOH and am waiting for them to investigate and reply. After all, if mom lived with me and I failed to provide basic services such as adequate heat, I could be investigated by Social Services and charged with abuse.

Many other changes have also been made at O.M. – some large, some small, and some very subtle or not noticeable to the general public. Some changes didn’t work and things were put back to their old normal, but other changes remain in place.

Some affect the $50 monthly stipend that residents get to keep of their own income to purchase their clothing, haircuts, and other personal needs. Now if the resident wants a snack and maybe a soda to go with it, they have to purchase some from vending machines recently installed. These items used to be included in the monthly fee of $7,620 for a semi-private room, but if you’re looking to make a bigger profit why not take away a $3-$5 per day item and make the resident pay for it?

Let’s assume one might want these items 15 days of the month at $3 per day. Uh-oh, I guess that won’t work as that only leaves $5 for all the other expenses! Many residents did without things for themselves for years to provide for their families and then did right by saving for their retirement. That savings was then spent to pay their own way at O.M. until they had depleted their resources. Now some are back at square one having to do without again whether it be something as crucial as heat or as minor as a snack, but this time it’s to benefit a stranger. BEWARE OF STRANGERS, as this is what you have to look forward to if your local nursing home is sold to outsiders.

Beverly Rowley
Gasport, NY

Editor:

As a former member of the Medina Board of Education, I have spent considerable time deciding how best to continue to support transparent, fair, and objective oversight of our educational community.

Board membership should not favor special interest groups, bargaining units, or programs which benefit one’s own family members. Decisions must be made with the best interest of the entire community; students, staff AND the taxpayer, as a part of the discussion and decisions. Finding balance in what is necessary, productive and affordable while at the same time lessening the burden on the taxpayer is an ongoing process.

I will be supporting and I encourage your vote for WENDI PENCILLE and LORI DRAPER. The success of ALL students motivates their commitment and desire to serve on the board.

It is a challenge with every issue to find balance in providing the best educational opportunities for our students while realizing the impact every decision has on those who pay the taxes. Wendi has proven her commitment to these values and Lori, I believe, will do the same.

I do not take lightly the magnitude of the impact board of education service has on the community. Personal agendas, divisive control or an expectation of special privileges have no place in school oversight. Wendi and Lori will provide quality, nonpartisan leadership for the district.

School board elections will be held Tuesday at the District Office, One Mustang Drive (adjacent to the high school). Voting hours are Noon to 8 PM.

Voters must present some form of identification (i.e. driver’s license). You are not required to vote for four candidates. You may vote for one or up to four.

Maureen Blackburn
Medina, NY

Editor:

Today (May 8, 2013) I attended a wonderful morning program at Albion High School. The students honored the senior population. What an amazing job they did entertaining us, feeding us and playing games with us.

The music department did an amazing job. The students were attentive, polite and so much fun. Why do we never see or read about the good things they do, only the bad?  Again Albion High School, you are great.

Kathy Luescher
Albion, NY

Editor:

I moved from Buffalo to Shelby 13 years ago. My first two years here I was driving all the back roads, main roads, nature preserves and canal access areas. I was so impressed that I wanted to start a tour business, buy an old small school bus and offer a small fee for a “tour of canal town Medina.”

I could never afford to do that, but I think it would be a good idea to offer day tours on weekends, from May to October, to couples or families and have them end the tour with a lunch (or dinner when it stays lighter longer) at one of our great downtown restaurants, and get a discount with their ticket stub.

Another idea is to have canal tours on a boat like Lockport offers. Even a smaller boat would work with a capacity of six to 10 people. They could park by the canal behind the stores, take a tour down the canal, and end the tour at a local restaurant and get a discount with their ticket stubs. I would be first in line for either of these ideas. It would create some great tourism like the train ride does, but it would be available every weekend from May to October.

I think both ideas are worth considering and needed to promote our great area!

Mary Jewula-Barnes
Medina, NY

Editor:

Most of our citizens may experience little impact of the budget cuts known as “Sequestration,” (i.e., seclusion or separation) of government funding.

However, lower income people all over the country will feel the Sequestration budget reductions. For example, the cuts will reduce the Community Services Block Grant, the core of Community Action since 1964, and will directly affect emergency services, which were delivered to 2,559 families last year in Genesee and Orleans counties.

It is short-sighted to say the least, to cut Community Services Block Grant dollars, which support many services, including the Main Street Store in Albion, which provides job training and skill development in a retail context, and job placement assistance. The store has proven to be a tremendous investment, saving the government more than $4 million in public assistance over the past four years by helping people find jobs and keep them.

The cuts to Head Start will affect an estimated 70,000 children nationwide. These cuts become effective locally on July 1 and will be most noticeable in the fall, when services will be available to fewer families. This reduction will hurt children, their families and the staff of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee. Community Action currently serves 261 Head Start children in the two-county Head Start program.

Head Start provides kindergarten readiness skills in a safe classroom or home settings, hot nutritious meals, health and disability screenings and support, transportation, non-violent problem-solving skills, parent education, referrals and opportunities.

The cuts will create long-term harmful effects for those affected locally. Multiple national studies have shown that “Children that have been through Head Start and Early Head Start are healthier, more academically accomplished, more likely to be employed, commit fewer crimes, and contribute more to society.”  Studies indicate that every $1 invested in Head Start produces a Return On Investment (ROI) ranging from $7 to $9.  As James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics at the University of Chicago, recommended to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Reform, “Early Head Start and Head Start are programs on which to build and improve – not to cut.”

Head Start and other non-defense discretionary programs a small part of the federal budget are not the cause of our growing debt. Congress needs to act quickly to restore fiscal stability and maintain funding for our at-risk children.  Our nation’s budget simply cannot be balanced on the backs of poor children and their families.

As Board chairwoman, I speak for the board and staff at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee and I urge you to contact our senators and Congressional representatives to express your concern about the damage that will be done to these programs that have successfully served our residents in need for nearly 50 years.  Making the call or sending an email is far less difficult than facing the long-term community impact of these reductions.

Grace Denniston
Chairwoman Board of Directors
Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Inc.