Editor’s note: Legislature Chairman David Callard released this statement on Thursday following a State Supreme Court decision upholding the Legislature’s decision to create an LDC – Orleans Health Facilities Corporation – with the mission of finding a buyer for the 120-bed Villages of Orleans. Callard requested this be run as a letter to the editor.

Editor:

The court has wisely determined that the legislative decisions regarding the Villages of Orleans were within the Legislature’s authority. The discussion regarding the nursing home has been a very emotional one, but the ultimate goal has always been to ensure its long-term sustainability. Now we must return to our goal for the Villages, to continue to provide a high quality of care for our residents; maintain its jobs; preserve its programs; and continue its community ties without dire financial consequences to the taxpayers.

The choice here hasn’t been about privatization versus public ownership. It has been about maintaining the facility or losing it altogether. We can no longer delay the decision and hope that everything will be all right. That is fiscally irresponsible and brings grave uncertainty. We must ensure that the Orleans Health Facilities Corporation is able to complete its work.

It is important to remind people that this course of action was decided by a super-majority vote. The actions being taken are intended to balance the interests of the residents, the employees, and the taxpayers. I commend my colleagues in the Legislature for having the courage to make this very difficult decision.

David B. Callard, Chairman
Orleans County Legislature

Editor:

As I drive around the county, I see signs imploring passersby to “Save our county nursing home.” There have also been a few letters to your publication outlining the geriatric apocalypse that will ensue if the county gets out of the nursing home business and hands it over, with oversight, to a private concern. I think a few points should be made.

First, the county nursing home is not going anywhere. It will remain the valuable resource that it is and remain in its present location. Because it will always remain in Orleans County, what, exactly, are we saving it from?

The second point is the care of the residents. Hospitals and nursing homes are arguably the most regulated “business” in the state and the nation. The very same regulators that are checking on the care of the residents now, will be checking on the care of the residents when a private concern takes it over. There will be no change or gap in their regulating.

The third point is funding. You have to ask yourself, who is in a better position to keep costs in check, the county legislators or a company whose very existence depends on the efficient and, once again under the watchful eye of state regulators, safe operation of the nursing home? It seems to me that a firm that employs specialists in geriatric care, elder law, Veteran’s Administration benefits, diet, social activities and housekeeping among other specialties would better serve the needs of the residents.

Finally, although it hasn’t been mentioned, I am sure there is a concern for the present employees. I’m sure they are dedicated, caring, possess years of experience and know how the business should run. If I were the human resource officer of a nursing home company, I would do all I could to retain these employees. Perhaps there would be opportunities in other locations or merit based promotions right here in Orleans County.

Right now, although there is social security funding, social services funding, veterans administration funding and private funding, the county nursing home is still losing money. The present solution is to raise taxes. I, for one, would like to see what the private sector could do. The LDC should look for a responsible company and, with county oversight, let the professionals run the county nursing home.

Paul J. Blajszczak
Medina, NY

Editor:

Despite characterizations to the contrary, as a county official, I have struggled long and hard with the decision to privatize the county nursing home. It is not a decision reached overnight, nor is it without consideration of the many concerns raised by opponents. People are certainly welcome to disagree. Change is hard.

No one, as has been implied, just conjured this issue out of thin air with no basis or to make up an election issue. The issue here is about responsible management of county resources and the survival of the home as a community resource for all of us well into the future. It is not about public versus private. It is about open versus closed.

Repeatedly, I have read attempts by folks advocating for the preservation of the county nursing home trying to insinuate that the financial circumstances of the Villages of Orleans are not all that difficult or that they are even total speculation. Let me assure you that the outlook is difficult at best and more realistically impossible. The only speculation is how bad it can get and how fast it gets there, not whether or not it will get bad. Burying our heads in the sand and hoping a problem will go away is not going to solve anything and it is simply not an option. In fact, it is irresponsible.

The Center for Governmental Research stated in the executive summary of its study on The Future of County Nursing Homes in New York State:

” … county homes throughout the state are increasingly vulnerable. Their future, individually and collectively, is jeopardized by increasing operating losses, reimbursement levels that fail to cover operating costs, declining intergovernmental transfer payments and the need for increasing county subsidies.”

Folks, these are the facts. I really wish we were making this stuff up as has been implied. Unfortunately, we are simply swimming against the tide.

Here are some more very important facts:

Only six percent of the 15,662 nursing homes nationwide are owned by state or local governments, a percentage that is getting smaller.

Of the seventeen counties in New York State under 55,000 in population, Orleans County is one of only three to own and operate a county nursing home.

Thirteen nursing homes in Western New York received the highest ranking from U.S. News and World Report and none of them were owned by a county government and only one was public at all (the V.A. home in Batavia).

As we continue to innovate, restructure and improve, the answers to our problems are not always going to be easy. This is a growing deficit problem that we can solve before it gets out of hand, before our only option becomes closure. We can transition this asset to a stable future and that is truly the best possible outcome for residents of the home and taxpayers. We simply just cannot continue to ignore or try to revise the facts.

I want people to know that I too have a personal connection to the Villages. In the last few weeks of my father-in-law, Bimmy Johnson’s life, the Villages allowed us to bring in 35 family members to celebrate the holidays with him for the last time. It was a wonderful day for him and our family and we were very grateful. That is why we are trying to save the county nursing home, save it from disappearing.

Lynne M. Johnson
Lyndonville
Orleans County Legislator, Dist. 2

Editor:

When we elect any of our government officials, we elect them to run our government in a professional, business-like manner, setting aside all personal and party-driven agendas while working for the common good of all their constituents. We expect them to roll up their sleeves and find solutions to difficult problems, such as how they can save OUR wonderful county-owned nursing home facility. Sometimes it means actually putting in the time to turn over every stone to try and preserve one of the reasons we are proud to live in this county.

As a lifelong resident and 42-year taxpayer of Orleans County and as child of family members who have, in the past and who currently are receiving compassionate, long-term care in The Villages, it deeply saddens, disappoints, and angers me to see that our expectations for our current County Legislature are not being met. Our elected officials instead have tossed their hands up in the air, given up without seriously considering our input, and passed the buck to their newly formed three-man Local Development Corporation with instructions to sell the Nursing Home, thereby relieving themselves of any and all responsibility or liability. Maybe times have changed but to me that amounts to taking the easy way out.

Here’s a radical thought … How about slowing things down a bit, and finding a way to keep OUR Nursing Home by using the expertise of true professionals? One of the consultants interviewed by the LDC at their May 15th Board Meeting, The Center for Governmental Research of Rochester, indicated that his firm has consultative experience with government agencies to find ways to reduce expenses. He also stated that Medicare reimbursement for the next four years would remain flat not decrease. I thought for sure that the LDC Board would use this opportunity to further question Don Pryor about his thoughts, ideas and perhaps suggestions on cost-cutting measures for The Villages. But, they didn’t because their minds were obviously set on selling, not finding a way to make it work. What a fantastic opportunity was lost. Also, although this was announced as a public meeting, those persons in attendance were instructed at the meeting’s beginning that there would be no public participation.

The next “public” Local Development Corporation Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20 at the Public Health Department Building Conference Room at 1 p.m. If you are concerned about what is happening to your publicly owned nursing home and the residents and staff, I urge you to attend this meeting. If we cannot participate with words, let our presence show them our concern and commitment.

Marie Rice
Albion, NY

Editor:

My name is Betty Garcí­a Mathewson. I have been a resident of Orleans County since 1987. I am opposed to the sale of the county nursing home. First, I do not work at the nursing home; though I have met a few people who do since I’ve joined Concerned Citizens, and to date no one in my family has needed it.

The moment you sell the nursing home to a for-profit organization, you take a slice of the financial resources out of the total income to make the business profitable. We currently have a nursing home that is struggling to provide the care with the money they receive. How would a for-profit corporation save money and make things more efficient? I have seen them fire employees, cut wages, cut benefits, and ask fewer people to do more work. This will not maintain quality of care. Increasing the workload and reducing wages and benefits will increase employee turnover. One key to our current quality of care is our stable employees.

The primary focus of a for-profit organization is to make money. The primary motive of a non-profit is to fulfill the mission of the organization. In this case that would be caring for Orleans County seniors and other residents rehabilitating after surgery. If our nursing home is sold to a for-profit provider, their primary focus will be to make money.

Corporations are required by law to take the interests of their shareholders above everything else. I don’t feel comfortable with the decisions for how to operate my county nursing home to be made based on the profit of shareholders. I don’t want my tax money to pay for the profits of a corporation. When a senior receiving their health care through Medicaid goes to a for-profit nursing home, a portion of our tax dollars are going to fund profit. This will happen whether the nursing home is in our community or not.

I urge everyone in our community to stand against this sale. We need to sit down and figure out our very real problems in a manner that does not hurt so many. What kind of community do we want to live in? I want to live in a community that cares for its elders, one that is there for me in 30 or 40 years when I might need it.

Betty Garcí­a Mathewson
Albion, NY

Editor:

Perhaps as more people in Orleans County are becoming aware of what we have at stake by moving The Villages from the public to the private domain, there is a growing fear that the citizens are starting to know the real deal.

As I engage with people around town about keeping The Villages in the county sphere of control, many of them have made the comment: “Well, it looks like this is a done deal.”

Let me clarify some major points that raise questions about this statement. At present there is pending court action to thwart the efforts of the Legislature with their hand-appointed LDC. What process do you think was utilized to come up with the three male members of the LDC? Certainly not a democratic one! Why couldn’t the Legislature open this up to the public? I’ll tell you why – they want to dictate to us what they want and take away the choices we have. Why else would Chuck Nesbitt be working so hard to go around speaking out about the Legislature’s agenda?

Have any of the groups he has spoken to sought out the point of view of opposing factions? The county’s lawyers tried to draw a parallel at the May 7th court hearing with Judge Punch. They made some ludicrous comparison of rural Orleans County to some place in New York City to justify the creation of this LDC. Please, give me a break. Walk down Main Street, county leaders. One needs to only see the obvious contrast between a thriving metropolis and a deprived rural community which is trying to grasp some semblance to purpose by holding fast to a viable asset such as The Villages. We are in no way comparable to an urban setting such as NYC.  Let us not forget the upcoming elections which may hopefully bring in some new blood to revive the processes that built America.

Any time a governing body becomes so aloof and ignores the people, a greedy monster threatens the moral fiber of our society, and the constituents – the ones who are supposed to be represented by that body – become mere pawns in a manipulative game.

“The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.”

– Carson McCullers, The Square Root of Wonderful

Mary Bannister
Albion, NY

Dear Editor:

I am responding to the Letter by Gary Kludt, “Farm Labor bill would hurt workers, agriculture.” I disagree strongly with Mr. Kludt. I have lived in this community for 25 years and have been working with farmworkers for 23 years. I do not see the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act as an attack on agriculture; I see it as a positive step in increasing the quality of our agricultural system.

There are long list of labor law exclusions that effect farmworkers. As the labor protections for all other workers were put in place, farmworkers were excluded. The agricultural industry argued that since farms hired family, they weren’t workers. Our agricultural system is far from the family farms they were talking about. This bill is important because it will help the thousands of farm workers in New York State attain basic human rights that most workers take for granted such as: overtime pay, one day off per week, collective bargaining rights, restrictions on child labor, disability and unemployment insurance, safe working conditions, and sanitation standards. Such legislation is much needed as 60 percent of New York’s farm workers make less than minimum wage, nearly one-third of them work at least 60-hour weeks, and the statistics go on. Such worker conditions are obviously unacceptable.

Farmworkers are involved in working for change in agriculture, but I actually don’t need farmworkers to be present to feel justified in working for change. I live in this community. I am impacted by our major industry being one whose workforce is people who live in poverty. Poverty negatively impacts health, learning in young children, the quality of one’s life and so much more. We deserve a food system that does not create such difficult working and living conditions for the workers.

Our current laws support large agri-business. Large farmers in our community live well, and are incredibly resourceful individuals. I trust that they will be able to maintain their businesses if their employees get the same rights other workers do. I was in Albany when we were fighting for farmworkers to have the right to have port-a-potties in the fields like construction workers do. Farmers said it would cost too much. They figured it out and they are still in business. We have many industries that operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Agriculture will be able to figure it out how to get through harvest season.

I believe it is time for farmworkers to be treated equally; they are too valuable to our community and our economy to be treated inequitably. I hope that many of you will be inspired to call your representative in support of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act.

Sincerely,
Betty Garcí­a Mathewson
Albion, NY

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.)