Editor:

Congressional representatives in Washington DC could learn a lesson from the politically cooperative efforts of the Concerned Citizens group in Orleans County.

We are extremely politically diverse with members who are Conservatives, Tea Party Patriots, Republicans, Democrats and Independents. There may be other political affiliations present that I am not aware of because we do not spend time discussing politics.

Some of our group currently has family members or friends at The Villages of Orleans. It is amazing to me that some have had family members that have passed but feel so strongly about the care their loved one received, compared to private facilities, that they are still working for the cause. Others are there because they know that Orleans County citizens have a caring heart and they want to keep it that way.

This non-political group is putting efforts into keeping the County Nursing Home public. It is premature to sell it without investigating how to make it a financially viable facility. We are not saying that the current legislators may not have tried to do this but all stones have not yet been turned over.

Have the billing practices of The Villages received every last dime of Federal, State and private pay money due to it? We have reason to believe it has not, considering how Genesee County has recovered $500,000 in just six weeks by re-submitting claims to Medicaid and Medicare.

Has anyone contacted the other county operated nursing homes to form a co-op to increase our buying power and get lower prices? Are we taking advantage of New York State’s collective buying power, as do our local school districts? I do not know the answer to these two questions but would like an opportunity to find out. These are just a few possibilities.

Let us not wake up one day and find out that we made a mistake. We need legislators with the ability to think outside the box and problem solve for the benefit of our citizens.

I strongly urge the voters to consider that there are two sides to every issue. We are putting in long hours and working hard in the hopes we keep the nursing home for future generations. There is no personal gain for any of our members except to have The Villages as an insurance policy that no one wants to use but it is sure great to have it there if needed.

We have little money, raising it through activities like spaghetti suppers. Our essential information is printed on plain white paper that everyone needs to read before voting. This election really affects your future.

Please consider both sides carefully rather than just voting a party line.

Linda Rak
Lyndonville

(Rak is a candidate for County Legislature. She is endorsed by the Conservative Party and is running under the independent “Save Our Nursing Home” line.)

Editor:

As a proud citizen of Orleans County, I must respond to Legislator Eick’s Reader View in The Medina Journal-Register dated Sept. 25, 2013.

The problem with the Legislators’ decision on The Villages is that it was made without a thorough investigation of what they were doing. Had they waited for the August report on New York State’s public nursing homes conducted by the Center for Governmental Research, they would have realized that Orleans County is one of the last places that should be selling its nursing home.

The three conditions that are cited in the report as reasons not to sell are all present in Orleans. We have a rapidly growing senior population (fifth highest rate of increase out of the 33 counties that have public nursing homes), a high proportion of “hard to place” people such as Medicaid eligibles and Alzheimer’s sufferers, and few other long-term care options other than The Villages of Orleans.

On top of that, the legislators ignored public sentiment expressed at the public hearing. They seem to think they can do whatever they like, keep people in the dark, and possibly even distort the truth.

Their attitude in 2008 toward the sales tax on home heating fuel was indicative of how out of touch they are with the generally decent people who live around here.

These same legislators are quick to fault food stamp recipients, but think nothing of taking from their elders all the freedom and security won for them by their parents and grandparents.

Mr. Eick and the other legislators think the county really cannot afford to do right by people who have always been there for us. Our senior citizens have paid their taxes, secured our freedom, fought our fires, and otherwise sacrificed to help build the county into what it is today.

The comments Mr. Eick has made about CGR may not tell the true story. The cost of a county-specific CGR study is worth it, considering the expert information that could be reaped. Did the Legislature ever investigate what a study would cost? To my knowledge, the answer is no.

What the legislators are doing is like me trying to repair an automatic transmission without having a shop manual on transmissions.

Are these public servants afraid the CGR would reveal true facts and show that Our County Nursing Home, The Villages of Orleans, should not be sold?

Respectfully,

Timothy Good
Albion

Editor:

It was recently reported that the Orleans County Legislature can not legally initiate a referendum concerning the sale of the County Nursing Home. (Click here to see that article.) This does not excuse your elected officials from listening to the voters.

At a public meeting in February 2013, 90 percent of the spectators that spoke were against the sale of the nursing home to a private corporation. That very day your legislators voted to create a LDC, a non-elected body to oversee the sale of the facility.

It appears that the majority of your legislators had already decided prior to the public meeting. Are they considering the voters they represent and the needs of the elderly?

This is a major decision involving a facility worth millions of taxpayer dollars in both property and services. It will not help us as taxpayers if it should be sold for less its value.

It involves the lives of hundreds of current and future residents. It is imperative that voters have a voice. The only chance Orleans County citizens have is to vote for candidates on Nov. 5 who will do everything in their power to try keep the home public.

One example is to examine how Genesee County recovered an additional $5.2 million from Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.Can this and other measures be done in Orleans County to help the financial status of the nursing home?

All the “Save Our Nursing Home” candidates on the ballot want a chance to try and work hard for your best interests.

If the current legislators have the power to do this without considering what the majority of people want, what else do they have the power to do?

Linda Rak
Lyndonville

(Rak is a candidate for County Legislature. She is endorsed by the Conservative Party and is running under the independent “Save Our Nursing Home” line.)

Editor:

In an article on the Orleans Hub, Orleans County Legislature Chairman David Callard stated the best way to preserve the nursing home for the community is to sell the site so it can be run by a private operator. That would ensure a high quality of care for residents, while maintaining jobs and preserving programs, “without dire financial consequences to the taxpayers.”

Just take a look at Orchard Manor to get an idea of what happens when a nursing home is sold into a for-profit situation. Staff is immediately let go. Management did not respond to staff concerns that residents were not being given the best care.

Who is to say that Orchard Manor will not be resold and resold again, or even closed, if the for-profit owners don’t make a profit they feel is adequate. What about the residents in all of this? What about the folks who have loved ones in the facility?

The Villages is a 4-star facility. Residents are well taken care of. It is in the center of Orleans County so it is not a long drive to visit a loved one there.

The voters of Orleans County have the power to complain to their representatives if anything should need to be corrected there. And of course the residents of the county can vote the Legislature out of office if they do not listen to the wishes of Orleans County residents to keep The Villages as a not-for-profit facility.

I do not agree at all with Chairman Callard’s statement that a for-profit business is in the best interest of residents of Orleans County. Remember to vote on Election Day for the Save the Nursing Home candidates. Let your vote be in favor of keeping The Villages as a not-for-profit facility.

Gail Miller
Medina

Editor:

Other than an invaluable, Federally-rated, Four Star quality, skilled nursing facility, what else would Orleans County taxpayers be giving up should Our County Nursing Home (The Villages of Orleans) be sold?

We know that we would be giving up an IGT benefit of $1 to $2 million a year. We would be losing the space presently occupied by the County Health Department and The Board of Elections.We would be handing any new owner the income potential of “A” and “B” wings and at a minimum price of $5.5 million a 1995 space that is still in great condition. This accounting does not include $10 million worth of 2007 space and upgraded infrastructure.

It turns out there may be more.

Paul Mrozek of The Daily News in Batavia has reported (9/5 and 9/12/13) that Genesee County lawmakerselected by Genesee County voters hired Freed-Maxick Health Solutions to recover millions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements owed to Genesee County’s nursing home for the past year.

To recover some $5.2 million, Genesee authorized the expenditure of no more than $50,000. According to Mrozek’s reporting, such an effort must be made within a year of a billable service being provided to a nursing home resident.

Likewise, Freed-Maxick has been retained to “capture” outstanding private pay accounts receivable in Genesee County. If I read him right, Genesee lawmakers already recovered $500,000 by spending $37,500.That is a refreshingly “business-like” approach.

Mrozek’s reporting raises obvious questions for Orleans County taxpayers.Does Orleans have a similar time-sensitive billing mess on its hands? If so, what are we doing to recover what is owed the taxpayers of Orleans County? Would any new owner of “The Villages of Orleans” be able to “capture” reimbursements and accounts receivable owed to Orleans but not applied for during the previous year?

Under the LDC format used in Orleans, a decision to bring in Freed-Maxick to pursue what is owed Orleans County has presumably been the responsibility of the LDC Board for months now. Of course, the LDC “Board” doesn’t answer to the taxpayers!

Shouldn’t the purchase price of “The Villages of Orleans”if it is sold reflect any potential windfall from such reimbursements and private pay accounts receivable?

There may be a huge downside to letting an LDC Board decide who walks away with the “buy” of a lifetime.

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.)

Provided photo – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley is pictured at a monument in Washington, D.C. with local veterans as part of a Patriot Trip.

Editor:

Petty, party-line politics have halted business in Washington D.C., leaving many Americans with a distrust and disinterest in government at all levels. It is truly disheartening to see such issues casting a pall on the institution of public service, and it will take time to rebuild the trust that is eroding as we speak. There is an aspect of the federal government shutdown where no time can be wasted, however: the re-opening of the monuments and memorials dedicated to the honorable men and women who have sacrificed for our country.

Over the last six years, I have had the honor of leading an annual Patriot Trip with local veterans to Washington D.C., visiting the sites and venues dedicated to their service. Throughout the course of the trip, more than 650 veterans and family members have embarked on this emotional journey, which has featured many of the monuments and memorials currently shut down due to gridlock within the federal government.

This year’s trip included veterans from the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War eras who put their lives on the line in defense of our freedom and way of life. I cannot imagine showing up with my bus full of veterans and having to tell them their government would not allow them to experience the structures specifically meant to recognize their personal sacrifice.

The mere fact that open-air venues would be closed off to the public illustrates just how far the government has gone astray. While departments, employees and entities have been deemed “non-essential” and had their operations put on hold, it’s actually taking effort to keep veterans away from these destinations. Conversely, the groups of veterans who have broken through the barricades at the World War II memorial show the indomitable spirit of our servicemen and women. As always, these veterans have shown that strength in one’s convictions and a willingness to let actions speak louder than words will always win the day. This is a lesson from which many of the people responsible for the government shutdown could stand to learn.

As Ranking Minority Member on the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, I understand that government must step up to the plate to recognize and honor the sacrifice made by our courageous heroes. If government can’t get that right, then I can’t blame the American public for being disheartened. I urge the National Park Service to right this wrong and re-open these monuments and memorials at once, not only to honor our veterans, but to show that government is capable of fulfilling its most basic and essential duties.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley
139^th District

Editor:

Once a precious gem goes down the drain, it is lost forever. Orleans County residents are in jeopardy of losing a precious gem, our County Nursing Home known as The Villages. Your County Legislators have appointed a three person non-elected committee to sell the county home to a profit-making company.

What does this mean to you? It means that once the money from the sale is used, it will not save you tax money and may even cost you more since the taxpayers will always be responsible for Medicaid patients. If local private nursing homes refuse our county Medicaid patients, they may have to be sent to other far-away counties at cost to Orleans County taxpayers. Families may have to travel long distances to visit their relatives.

Our family members and we are all just a heartbeat away from needing skilled nursing services due to age, illness or accident. At $8000 or more per month, how long will your family be able to private pay? At about $51.14 per $100,000 of assessed valuation on your county taxes, this publicly owned nursing home is a bargain and insurance for all of us in the event of disaster.

Would you be willing to pay $10, $20 or $30 a year more in taxes to keep this four-star federally rated facility public so that it might continue to offer excellent services to county residents? We pay $185 a year for garbage services. Our ancestors supported it starting in the 1833 even through the Great Depression in the 1930’s.

Demand a voice in this process. Demand a referendum by calling or writing your elected representatives. If the Legislators sell the County Nursing Home without asking the voters, what else do they have the power to do?

It may be time to elect new Legislators that will listen!

Linda Rak
Lyndonville

(Rak is a candidate for County Legislature. She is endorsed by the Conservative Party and is running under the independent “Save Our Nursing Home” line.)

Editor:

If you have ever been to The Mall in Washington D.C. and visited the WWII Memorial then you know the feeling of pride to be an American. I cannot imagine what these heroes feel when they stand inside the memorial and those horrific memories of that time come flooding back.

I have noticed during my life, those who fought in WWII never speak of their memories. It is only recently that my father-in-law mentions WWII. He served as a machine gunner on a tank under General Patton. He mentions no details, just some general information, but it shows in his eyes that after 70 years those unforgettable memories are as if they happened just yesterday.

Here is a generation born during the Roaring Twenties and the mob’s influence, surviving the Great Depression as children and young teens only to go to war in the prime of their lives to fight pure evil. They sacrificed their innocence and lives to defend our country, the Constitution and to free millions of people around the world from suppression and tyranny. They sacrificed a great deal, as do all who serve, never expecting gratitude or worship. They gave their lives to end evil in the world and keep America free.

How does this current administration repay these Veterans’ sacrifices? By denying these veterans access to an open-air, free-to-enter memorial, honoring what they accomplished in WWII.  Many thanks to Representatives Louie Gohmert (TX) and Michele Bachman (MN) for doing the right thing by going down to the memorial and removing the barricades, allowing these Veterans to enter a memorial dedicated to their sacrifices. These veterans stood united and sang “Amazing Grace,” what a true American moment.

How did our leaders react, by bringing in armed guards, making the barricade taller and denying all access to these heroes? These dignified American Veterans deserve so much better from our country.

What sadness these WWII Veterans must feel to watch their country roar down the evil road of big suppressive government, the very thing they fought and many died to defeat, I can only try to imagine. The world owes these individuals and their sacrifices a tremendous debt, but even a simple Thank-you from time to time would be nice. Instead history books are being rewritten minimizing their accomplishments.

As someone who grew up in a free America and enjoys all that it has to offer, I say Thank-you Veterans for allowing me this opportunity. Tell your stories so that the truth will live on because the current leaders are trying to make everyone forget your true American Patriotism.

Isn’t it ironic that it takes 90-year-old war heroes to remind us what America is about. So when you stand and pledge allegiance to our country, think of these Veterans and how they are still standing up for our country.

God Bless America, God Bless our troops and God Bless those who fought for us during our finest hour.

Donald Allport
Gaines
Orleans County Legislator At-Large

Editor:

In preparation for the coming election I went door to door at Heritage Estates with another volunteer, Sharon Algeo. We were getting signatures in support of candidates for legislature who have committed to stopping the possible sale of our nursing home.

One of the residents of Heritage Estates had a guest visiting from Wellsville, NY. He wished us the best.  He said, “We lost our nursing home, now we only have an empty building.” He went on to share that a private corporation had bought their nursing home and a few years after they took over, they closed it because it wasn’t profitable.

This is the worst-case scenario we are trying to avoid. This is the nightmare that could happen in our community. There are people who want us to believe a sale is a done deal.It is not sold yet; it is not a done deal. If you believe it’s over before it is, we all lose. This is important enough that for this election I am a single-issue voter.

We are all busy with our own lives; it is hard to find time to pay attention to what the government is doing, and most of the time that is fine.  Most of the time, we can trust that our local officials are doing okay, and we can go about our lives. This is not one of the times!

I met another resident of Heritage Estates, an older woman whose husband had been at The Villages for about a year. She was happy with his care and could visit him often. What would she do if we sell The Villages and the company decides it doesn’t make enough profit? We have an empty building, and her husband is in Rochester or Buffalo.  She was old enough that this would be a major hardship.

I am asking my fellow Orleans County voters that if you would like to save The Villages for future generations of elders in our community, become a single-issue voter for this campaign. Vote for candidates on the Save the Nursing Home line, and two others endorsed by The Concerned Citizens of Orleans County.

Thank you for your concern,

Betty García Mathewson
Albion

Dear Editor:

Taxpayers beware! LDC’s (Local Development Corporations) are formed by governments as a way to do business without having to disclose how they are doing business.

An article titled, “LDC Inquiry Gaining Steam,” in the Sunday Democrat and Chronicle, explains how LDC’s are coming under scrutiny by addressing such questions as: Are LDC’s becoming a dumping ground for government to hide what is going on from the public? Should our government be able to do business with LDC’s which, because they are private, cannot have information F.O.I.L.E.D.?

In Orleans County our Legislature is using an LDC to pursue selling our County Nursing Home. Everywhere we look our government knows more and more about each of us, personally and financially.Now our local government wants to use an LDC to hide more and more facts about our publicly owned nursing home from usthe people who paid for it!

The least each of us deserves is honest facts about the operation of “The Villages of Orleans”our County Nursing Home – and the opportunity to vote on a referendum that would require the Legislature to act as the taxpayers wish. If the taxpayers do not at least get a referendum, what will be hidden from us next?

On Nov. 5, each of us will have the opportunity to cast a ballot to continue down the same path, or to choose a different direction. Please exercise the right so many have died to secure. Vote on Nov. 5.

Fred Miller
Albion

(Miller is the Democrat-endorsed candidate for District 3 Orleans County Legislator.)