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.)

Editor:

First Responders are part of what reinforces the foundation of our great nation.  They leave their loved ones to deal with emergencies, risking a great deal for those they don’t even know.

They allow us to concentrate on other matters in our lives, knowing if the need arises and we dial 911 someone will be sure to respond.

Emergency Management, law enforcement, ambulance services, medical personnel and fire departments are the protecting hand of emergency response.  Anyone who has ever used one of these services knows the important role that they play in our county. These individuals, who risk their lives every time they are called out, need our utmost support.

They donate their time and effort in saving lives and reducing financial damage to our county’s infrastructure. As it has been calculated, replacing the volunteer firefighters with paid employees would cost the county between $7 million to $8 million a year.

It seems only right that we should give them the tools and equipment needed to perform their jobs as safely as possible, not to squander it on needless political effigies. We should be thankful that people in our county are willing to step forward and perform these services.

Eight years ago, due to the age of the radio system becoming unreliable and producing a lack of coverage, the Orleans County Legislature decided to upgrade the county-wide communications. A contract was signed with the vendor and the issues began. For a resolution over this incident, the county ended up in front of the FCC to testify. A deal was made and the upgrade is going forward.

The end result will be a state of the art communication system when completed in March 2014 with final cut-over to the new system in April 2014.

It has been a long hard road to get to this end point, but the struggle is worth it to give our responders nothing less than the best tools necessary for their safety and success.

With deep appreciation, thank you First Responders, for the outstanding job you do for the residents of our county. Please continue to protect our county and always keep yourselves safe.

Donald Allport
Orleans County Legislator At-Large
Gaines

Editor:

Many people feel historic preservation is just too difficult, especially when the building you are trying to save has suffered neglect and abuse. I hope that by relating this story about the Clarendon Stone Store, others will be encouraged to save more of our historic properties.

The 177-year-old building is now listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. It has been vacant since 2007. Plans had been made for its demolition.  But community members told the Town Board that they didn’t want to lose the iconic building that holds many memories. The Board listened and sanctioned a volunteer organization known as the Old Stone Store Preservation Committee.

The committee raised funds through donations, removed debris from the property, made necessary structural repairs, publicized that the property was available and documented the building and its history, which led to the listing on the Registers of Historic Places.

They worked with the Landmark Society of Western New York to raise awareness of the potential of the site.  They conducted many tours for prospective buyers and kept the building in the public eye through various media outlets. None of this required any financial support from the Town.

The committee identified Joe and Sue Fertitta of Hilton as the best potential new owners to bring the building back to life. They have a strong reputation as rehabbers of distressed properties. The Town Board agreed with their plans to make a large two bedroom apartment on the second floor and have commercial or office space on the first floor. They also plan to restore the front porch based on historic photos.

The Town had taken ownership of the property and planned to demolish it to avoid the cost of repair and upkeep. By selling it to the Fertittas for $1, the cost of demolition will be avoided, the property will contribute to the tax base and Clarendon retains a historic building that will once again be an attractive part of the hamlet.

The committee thanks everyone who showed their support for saving this building.  This is a great example of what a community can achieve when they work together.

Erin Anheier
Chairperson, OSSPC
Holley

Editor:

Who will take care of you?  Do you have a list of loving people who will be waiting to take care of you when the time comes and it will come. Your crystal ball works better than mine and I have a loving family.

One car accident, one doctor’s appointment can change anyone’s life at any moment. It is smug how some feel differently. But it is for sure that we will all die, and it is a comfort to know that there is top quality skilled care close to home when it is needed.

Or will we have to send loved ones out of the county for affordable care? Then we, the taxpayers, will pay another county the Medicaid payment to take care of our loved ones.  Because of distance, visits from us will be fewer. The money won’t be kept here to support our County Nursing Home.

The sale of Orchard Manor in Medina to a big out-of-state corporation should have opened many eyes. It is said that one of the legislators who has a parent in Orchard Manor talked to the person in charge because their parent was not being cared for properly. The care and treatment of employees seem to have gone downhill quickly, as well. Then that same legislator took the big wigs from Orchard Manor on a possible buyer’s tour of the Villages and showed them around. (Does that suggest poor judgment?)

The bottom line for many is most important. The County Nursing Home is not supposed to make money. But the current legislators have not done everything they can do to change the bottom line. They are being deceitful not to include the previous year’s IGT revenues in the bottom line showing a larger deficit than should be. You wonder why this side’s numbers are different from that side’s numbers; well this is one of the reasons – DECEIT.

Politics as usual aren’t working anymore.

We need people who are willing to look for ways to bring in more revenues, like finding tenants for current facilities not being used at the County Nursing Home. A & B wings could bring in more revenue.

The Building and Grounds Department renovated part of A wing to house the Board of Elections Office. Why can’t they renovate the other unused areas that are available?  Because a majority of the current Legislators are not interested in finding more revenue.

It has been in some of the legislators’ minds to sell at the first chance available. Shame on them. They don’t want to hear any constructive ideas or anything good about having a county-owned nursing home. If they can’t do the job for the residents of Orleans County, they should be voted out. If there is no one running against them, we should not vote for them to show them we disapprove.

Vote for the four “Save Our County Nursing Home” candidates who are running. There is way too much back scratching going on in this county. We the voters can make a difference. Vote at the polls or absentee ballot. Let your voice be heard.

Claudette Creasey
Medina