By ARTHUR PARKS
A few potent reasons why the Chautauqua County Home must not be sold to the corporation from Chicago:
The corporation from Chicago obviously has profit as its basic goal and not the well being of our vulnerable citizens.
Does the future of this magnificent facility mean a conversion to a luxury hotel or office facility, and thereby expulsion of the residents and dedicated staff?
Is it beneficial to the county citizens to have their representatives hire Chicago lawyers instead of Chautauqua County lawyers? Also, the lack of responsiveness from the county executive to the vital, legal questions asked of him by elected County Home representative, 99-year old Joseph Carrus, poses fundamental questions of ownership law. County citizens are viewing the sale gambit as an act of gross impropriety.
After all, the county executive and the legislators need not only be innocent of unethical activities, they must be perceived as representatives with high ethics.
A writer's detailed, vivid and shocking letter in the Nov. 18 OBSERVER of the rudeness, lack of civility, belligerence and threatening manner toward the county legislators should have convinced any reasonable person not to conduct business with Avi Rothner and his ilk from Chicago.
Mr. Rothner sloughed off a legislator's question about the Rothner family's ownership of "10 worst nursing homes listed in the country." The Illinois Department of Health has Rothner nursing homes "most poorly rated."
Finally the OBSERVER (November 18, 2012) reported that County Executive Greg Edwards submitted 200 proposals this year and 213 proposals last year to New York state government.
Suggestion: Could we have Mr. Edwards submit a mere 100 proposals on how to preserve and protect the long-standing excellent care provided by our Chautauqua County Home?
Arthur Parks is a Kenmore resident.
