Essex County will fund Horace Nye environmental study

Local News

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.

comments powered by Disqus

February 9, 2012

LOHR McKINSTRY Press-Republican The Press Republican Thu Feb 09, 2012, 11:01 AM EST

ELIZABETHTOWN — Despite concerns of some Essex County lawmakers, the county will pay for an environmental evaluation of Horace Nye Nursing Home prior to a sale.

Supervisor Edward Hatch (D-Willsboro) said he believes potential buyers should pay the costs of the review, not the county.

The County Board of Supervisors has authorized the county purchasing agent to seek proposals for an environmental report on Horace Nye.

"Isn't it customary that the buyer does the evaluation?" Hatch said. "If the flag comes up and we don't sell it, it creates another problem. Should we do this at this time?"

Hatch said he was worried that an environmental evaluation could force them to do repairs on items like the septic system at the county-owned Nursing Home.

But County Attorney Daniel Manning III said that on commercial sales like Horace Nye the seller provides a Phase I environmental study to show there are no problems on the property.

"We should have it done ahead of time so we know what the problems are with the Nursing Home, if any," Manning said.

"It's also a good thing to do and have, irrespective of the sale."

He said the review has a $3,000 estimated cost.

"I don't support a sale, but regardless of whether it's sold or not, it's something that should be done," Supervisor Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah) said of the review.

He agrees with some employees at the home who say privatization could result in reduced care for patients and less pay for workers.

The board voted this week to do the evaluation, plus solicit quotes for title work at the Nursing Home.

The county previously hired Chicago-based real-estate investment firm Marcus & Millichap to list Horace Nye nationally.

The firm has told Board of Supervisors Chair Randy Douglas (D-Jay) it already has some interested parties.

Horace Nye operates at an annual loss of about $3 million, which, coupled with a 10 percent county-tax increase this year, persuaded some supervisors a sale should be considered.

Email Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com