[1:06] May 18, you call on the mean order?

[1:08] Are

[1:12] you ready?

[1:13] Yep. Okay.

[1:14] Oh, I'll come well.

[1:15] Morning.

[1:16] According to order, the public safety committee meeting, committee meeting.

[1:20] Roll call.

[1:20] Good, good.

[1:21] Roll call.

[1:23] Louis Alvarez.

[1:24] Here.

[1:24] Nick Salmoni.

[1:25] We're the mayor.

[1:26] Brian.

[1:27] Brian McPhilips.

[1:28] Here.

[1:29] Matt McPhilips.

[1:30] Here.

[1:31] Joe Perillo.

[1:37] Okay, we got four.

[1:40] The vision of public safety.

[1:42] Brian.

[1:51] Everybody.

[1:52] Morning.

[1:54] I don't have too much to update on but I will touch on some grants that we are expecting and that we're still waiting on.

[2:04] The Homeland Security, the SHSP, we're waiting on the states approval, so we should be getting that soon.

[2:10] In regards to the body cam grant that we applied for many months ago, as a yesterday, it's still in pending status because of that we're unable to apply for additional grants or additional funding for those. So that's kind of in limbo until we can resolve that.

[2:29] We'll be, yeah, sorry, absolutely, apologies. We are going to be expanding our health and wellness

[2:39] program within the Division of Public Safety taking our part-time position to full-time as we just

[2:46] got funding for that. So that's exciting.

[2:50] We're just continuing our efforts for our team or in

[2:54] us kit that we've been pushing out to the county. We just recently got our search and rescue team

[2:59] trained up on that this week, so that's expanding and hopefully it'll be expanding further

[3:04] into public health for the nurses. Other than that, there were...

[3:09] Purello in, 1020. Coming down on summer and things are starting to get a little more quiet

[3:18] and we'll get back to the winter time, so that's about it.

[3:25] Thank you.

[3:26] Yep, question.

[3:27] Yes, I do.

[3:29] Let me put this together in my mind right now.

[3:31] I just want to talk about the work being done by John Housher, hiding in the back.

[3:39] Also better.

[3:41] I didn't see.

[3:42] You cover.

[3:43] I couldn't see you.

[3:44] Really?

[3:46] Yeah, really.

[3:46] I couldn't.

[3:47] You've let's cover right there in such a way that I couldn't see him.

[3:50] But the reason I'm asking you this is I would like to kind of let the committee know

[3:55] about what happened was a thousand people in how our county has ever faced anything like this

[4:01] and you guys did an amazing, amazing job with a corporation of every police department

[4:07] and the county was involved in that because there's something that I think the county is going

[4:13] to have to be addressing this is not going to, if we don't address it, it's going to keep coming up and up again.

[4:19] You mind talking a little bit about it?

[4:21] this you said to thousands of thousands of people. Oh, the party. All the case started was a raid

[4:25] and now it developed. Right. So over this past weekend, that incident you're referring to.

[4:31] Yes. Yeah. So over this past weekend, there was a large party, approximately a thousand to

[4:36] 2000 people, which was reported by the, you know, the deputies and the state police on the ground.

[4:44] It was essentially like a project X party that was advertised all over the internet and they were selling

[4:49] you know, expensive bottles of liquor, so that was initially reported.

[4:54] Some heinous things happened that was, you know, debunked once the responding officer's got him.

[5:00] But there was reports of people being shot and sexual abuse, but that was deemed nothing happened with that, but the overall response from everybody within public safety and all the law enforcement, we were able to mitigate that rather quickly within a few hours.

[5:18] And I was on the phone with the sergeant that was on scene and things were resolved pretty quickly. They did have a group of about a hundred people that were not cooperative.

[5:28] But it was it was all rather quickly and everyone on scene did a did a really good job

[5:35] for you know what they had walked into right I've never seen that my time on as a

[5:40] Sharers law fist you know you hear a thousand people and you get there and it's a hundred people

[5:45] You know this is actually I heard from the sergeant in the deputies on scene that yeah

[5:49] No, it's there was actually over a thousand people here. So they did an incredible job and

[5:55] Where was this right off of Southwoods

[5:58] right around the corner from the Robert Green's dealership. And I guess the host rented an Airbnb,

[6:05] they completely trash the residents. And yeah, so that was that was a very busy night to

[6:13] happen around. It was a 10 o'clock at night, went on to a little about midnight, one o'clock. There

[6:19] were some, you know, motor vehicle accidents, that stem from it, which, you know, Alex, I'll give him a lot

[6:25] credit. He went out immediately and kept me updated on all that and immediately turned around and went

[6:31] out to this, you know, roll over motor vehicle accident. So everyone did a really good job on that.

[6:41] So thank you so much. All right.

[6:45] Thanks John.

[6:55] Good morning, everybody. Happy September.

[7:00] You have my report submitted. I just wanted to add a few things because I submitted it 10 days prior

[7:06] meeting, so I didn't have all the dates, but the 25th anniversary of 9-11 is next Friday, not tomorrow,

[7:14] but to follow in Friday. And I have a list and a packet of all the services for all the members of

[7:21] the board, Dan, who's put it out publicly for us announcing all the memorial services that will be held

[7:28] on 9-11. The next day, also on 12th is the Selma County Volunteer Firefighter Association

[7:35] Parade and Gramesville. Line up is at 12 noon, step off at 1, and I have the honor being

[7:44] the grand marshal for the parade, so I'm very happy and honored to get that privilege. I just

[7:51] wanted to share that.

[7:55] Other than that, everything else is in my report. If you don't have

[7:57] questions I'll just give you all packet for the 911 services. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much John.

[8:06] Alex.

[8:11] Okay. I know I can't call Penny. She told me not to call her. Thank you.

[8:18] By missing any. Oh, I'll be.

[8:27] How could you miss me, Mr. I know.

[8:32] For the month of August we had

[8:34] 19 deaths in our county and requiring nine post-mortem examinations just to break it down a little bit.

[8:42] There were 15 of those 19 that were natural. We had two accidents, two suicides. Thankfully,

[8:48] no trauma, no homicides, and no overdose. This past Monday, the 31st of August was the

[9:05] Despite the continuous rain that poured during the entire event, there were approximately 80 people that attended.

[9:12] It was quite educational, supportive and quite heartwarming with the speakers that presented.

[9:20] And if I'm not mistaken, I only saw two of you legislators at that county event.

[9:26] The general population here in our county, and most of the counties throughout the state,

[9:33] they're not really familiar with the responsibilities and the functions and the trials and tribulations

[9:37] that the current is office faces each and every day.

[9:42] And as a last responder, not a first responder, I can understand the hesitancy that the population has

[9:48] about knowing what we do and they said time like that.

[9:53] I've been invited to speak before many organizations

[9:56] over the years most recently is the past month.

[10:00] I just want to let everybody know here in the, in the audience as well as you that our office and all of us are willing to come and present before you to have a better understanding of what we do, all you need to do is contact our office here at the government center.

[10:18] I just want to backtrack a little bit. I was away for the past two meetings. I just want

[10:26] to reiterate a couple of things.

[10:31] The coolers for the upgraded hospital morgue have arrived.

[10:36] The maintenance staff that preparing the new room for the installation. The existing

[10:40] cooling system is once again having difficulties showing you the importance of this upgrade

[10:46] and thanking the legislature for moving forward with it.

[10:54] Also months ago, the FDA alerted us the office of the dangers of what is known as

[11:00] Cretum, mentioned that to you several months ago. Cretum is a tropical plant whose compounds act

[11:08] on the brain as stimulants in small amounts and as opiates in larger doses. It's usage is for

[11:15] in pain relief. It has not been approved for any medical use. It's use has risks of addiction,

[11:23] abuse seizures, liver damage, and heart risk. It's been listed as a drug of concern. It's

[11:31] sold in convenience stores, gas stations, smoke shops, baking in vaping paraphernalia, and other

[11:39] many states throughout our nation have banned or restricted its use.

[11:44] Albi, I just want to interrupt you, I'm sorry.

[11:47] You're correct on that.

[11:49] I believe Duchess County, the county exec just had a resolution two months ago,

[11:53] banning it as well as Albany County.

[11:56] DeMacormic has also put a resolution through.

[11:59] It is a very dangerous substance, and I will recommend that we follow suit

[12:04] into the same thing.

[12:05] Yeah, and just I don't mean to cut into.

[12:07] But on the policy pillar for the drug task force, this is something that we've been putting together as well and I believe this state is looking to do a ban

[12:15] As well, so the state does we can yeah, no, and I I believe we have a yeah, yeah, so absolutely something we've been working on

[12:22] Thank you for bringing that up so man here. You're just reading my mind. I'm going to ask the legislature to do

[12:30] So yeah, not only states throughout the union, but

[12:33] Counties around our state are looking at it and I'm pleased to say that the governor's office

[12:37] is looking to do the same statewide as you mentioned, so I'm asking that now that you're familiar

[12:44] with it, that if we can have you also do a resolution to ban the sale in our county, that would

[12:51] be awesome. Now, also one thing of real tremendous concern for me personally and for our

[12:59] office. Although the overdoses in the county have decreased substantially since the beginning of the

[13:06] There has been a notable increase in the number of suicides.

[13:11] Excluding this month, for the past three months, not including this month, we had six

[13:17] suicides in Sullivan County, and this month we had two more.

[13:23] So you're talking in four months time, you're looking at eight suicides for a number of different

[13:28] reasons, whether it's a drug-related mental health.

[13:32] There's been a wide amount of publicity on the social media,

[13:41] national news about the state of mental health in our country.

[13:46] We have an issue here in Sullivan County.

[13:49] I don't know how to address it personally.

[13:51] That's your job.

[13:52] But we've been focusing on overdoses for so long,

[13:55] and whatever the reason is that there

[13:57] has been a decrease in a number of overdoses,

[14:00] whether it's national, whether we're programs here,

[14:02] whatever it may be, we must concentrate on mental health.

[14:09] I would like to come before your committee,

[14:11] man, the mental health, and talk about a couple of ideas

[14:14] that I have to maybe address it.

[14:19] It's not an overall cure for it,

[14:22] but it might help our system address mental health.

[14:26] So I'm gonna speak to you about that

[14:28] hopefully be able to speak in public form on that.

[14:30] But I would like to see you as a whole

[14:32] and seriously address mental health,

[14:35] whether it's the transportation of them

[14:37] to a certain facility,

[14:39] whether it's the old Marchman Law

[14:40] that we spoke about a long time ago

[14:42] that addresses not only overdoses,

[14:45] but mental health.

[14:48] Certain things that this legislation needs to look at,

[14:51] it's a serious dilemma and I have to concern

[14:54] that we're seeing a rise in the suicide in our county.

[14:57] Just remind you 8 in 4.

[15:20] This is the discussion about the enterprise fund formation, how it relates to the care center and the role of the county manager in it.

[15:32] New York State authorized local governments to establish interesting enterprise funds

[15:36] in the early 1980s when the state adopted GAPGAAP fund classification and an incorporate

[15:44] enterprise funds into finance state finance law number two. By the mid-80s, the New York State

[15:53] office of the state controller updated the uniform system of accounting to align with GAP and GASB

[16:01] priority, fund standards, directing local governments to use enterprise funds for self-sustaining,

[16:08] fee-based operations that like water sewer, solid waste, nursing homes, airports, and transit.

[16:15] This was a statewide initiative not specific to any county. The Adult Care Center in

[16:22] Selam County is classified as an enterprise fund, meaning it operates in a county business type

[16:27] The county manager, as its chief administrator, offers her, has full administrator oversight

[16:34] of the ACC's operations by announcing staffing and compliance except for powers reserved

[16:42] by the legislature census policy, direction, policy direction, budget adoption and decision

[16:49] sales release. The county manager role is administrative, supervisory, and fiduciary,

[16:55] not legislated. The county measures, specific duties toward the ACC include preparing budget

[17:05] and overseeing finances, supervising ACC leadership, managing personnel and labor negotiations,

[17:14] overseeing contracts and procurement, implementing legislative policies, enforcing county laws

[17:22] ensuring regulatory compliance, maintaining financial controls and conditioning and coordinating

[17:31] audits.

[17:33] The legislature says policy while the county manager oversees the operation.

[17:39] Josh Potosic has served as a county manager since March of 2013 as confirmed by the county

[17:44] official website. This sub-suit and employment

[17:48] contacts contracts have extended his turn 10 year. But as a

[17:53] original appointment, again in March 2013, for over 13 years,

[17:57] he has had direct administrative oversight of the ACC

[18:02] including the school walters. I'm going to stop you.

[18:06] You're not in charge of this committee. It doesn't matter whether I'm in charge.

[18:09] I'm the chair of the legislature. And you're not going to

[18:11] do mean any of our staff. That's what I'm going to do. That's what I'm

[18:14] say you shouldn't let me. I'm sorry. Mr. Alvarez, the man is a public employee. Yes, but that

[18:22] one for you to. I can state his employment. I can state his responsibilities and how it affects us.

[18:32] Sure.

[18:42] I recommend that the committee not allow public comment to demean or diminish any county

[18:47] employee, and that includes the county manager.

[18:51] Well, we'll find it in a paper.

[18:58] Okay, we'll ship that. Okay, the current situation with the ACC,

[19:03] including the alleged vote to close it, is the result not solely the action of four

[19:11] legislatures. The county manager, everybody. All right, we run back to how much it costs us a year

[19:17] and how much it costs us a month, and so forth is 1.6, 1.3% of our 26-budget if we drop that.

[19:26] That's all.

[19:29] So I will look into what you have done. You have questioned my civil liberties,

[19:36] and we'll go from there. I hope you have some people who don't like to be in a hot seat,

[19:40] but you're elected and you took the position, and if you can't stand it, we'll take your resignation.

[19:45] Thank you. Mr. Chair. Yes, I'm a good statement.

[19:49] Because I've been listening to this stuff for the last four years about this nursing home.

[19:53] And in order to reason this place closed today, it's worth it.

[19:55] These people going down to New York City, protesting against...

[20:00] A CON for the press, it was running it. I went out and you sit down and you'd spoken up for it. I'm up to the A with you people. I went out during COVID risk in my life, Alibaba, and I was starting to find the vendor for this facility and use people had the goal to go down to New York State, protest against the vendor who was doing a fine job, or plenty has, he owns more than 25 nursing homes, and now it gets what happens. We have nobody. So he's not nobody.

[20:30] blade, but yourselves, why does place close? I'm not going to say no, the statement

[20:33] after this, it's default, why does place close? Not the legislature, okay?

[20:39] We already love this. This full of wallfamory. This, this, this, this, this place fail.

[20:44] How do you cut it off? I don't want to hear this guy on me. This, this thing failed because of

[20:48] one person who oversees it for four legislatures and why did it increase my so much

[21:25] benefits he can't sustain it okay but when they come here every week these

[21:29] people and whoever it is speaks and I'm saying these people, whoever speaks about

[21:33] this nursing home is because the cost of doing business is astronomical and

[21:38] nobody understands that because there may be retired already right but to live

[21:41] out here today you gotta make $2,000 a week to have it to have a decent life so I

[21:48] know what to say there's nobody to blame but the people that complained about the

[21:51] and doesn't have the wherewithal to run in.

[21:53] Okay, I see it, but I don't find it.

[22:01] Are we done?

[22:04] Whoa. Okay.

[22:06] Good morning.

[22:07] I'm here today to talk about emergency preparedness in Sullivan County

[22:12] because I'm going more and more concerned

[22:14] that we're not ready for health related disasters.

[22:18] Anybody who follows the news is of where

[22:19] there's been a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania

[22:22] with the first two measles deaths

[22:24] the year occurring last week in Lancaster County, only three hours drive from our county border.

[22:30] Both deaths were unvaccinated people and there were a hundred new cases just in that last week.

[22:36] This outbreak so far totaling 497 cases. Very sadly one of the deaths was a stillborn baby who's

[22:45] omnisch mother had been infected and either she nor her 13 children had been vaccinated. The same

[22:51] things could happen here.

[22:54] Sullivan County's vaccination rate was 67.5% as of January, much lower than the state's average rate of 80.9 and herd immunity requires 95% vaccination rate.

[23:09] Looking back at public health monthly reports, vaccination clinics have no longer held monthly.

[23:14] and vaccinations are given out by appointment,

[23:17] the numbers in the very low single digits.

[23:20] I have not seen any significant outreach

[23:22] to the community to improve those rates,

[23:25] even with the start of the new school year.

[23:27] And of course, there were no summer camp audits,

[23:30] although it looks like we got lucky on that this year.

[23:34] Likewise, there's still cyclists,

[23:36] priusists, and numerous food recalls ranging

[23:39] from lettuce to blueberries to beef.

[23:41] And we're going into flu season.

[23:43] This might sound like a paranoid rant, but it's not so funny if it happens to your family.

[23:49] Are we prepared if we have an outbreak?

[23:52] I don't think we are.

[23:54] Apart from the issue of public health being so very understaffed and the medical core haven't been abandoned.

[23:59] This is the issue of emergency preparedness training.

[24:04] Does anybody actually check to see if the staff are taking the required national incident management,

[24:10] and health, and commerce, system, and FEMA courses,

[24:13] according to their roles.

[24:16] You would think that these would all be recorded

[24:17] within the learning management system,

[24:19] but they aren't.

[24:21] And what about drills?

[24:23] It's all very well to do an active shooter drill,

[24:25] but what about a point of distribution drill

[24:27] to prepare us for mass immunizations,

[24:30] which we needed only six years ago?

[24:33] I know that this committee takes public safety

[24:35] and preparedness seriously.

[24:37] In the past, Sullivan County was very well prepared for emergencies and disasters as demonstrated during the pandemic.

[24:46] Can you say the same thing today?

[24:48] Thank you.

[25:13] Good morning. I'm Martha Scoppa from Liberty. I'm also a member of the Senior Legislative Action Committee.

[25:20] I continue to be very disheartened that this legislature has decided to close the care center at sunset lake.

[25:29] Despite a so-called closure plan from this legislature, and approved by the New York State Department of Health,

[25:37] There's confusion at the facility, heartbreak, for residents and their family members,

[25:44] and heartbreak for dedicated staff who care about the patients, due to poorly implemented.

[25:51] Sorry, excuse me, my voice.

[25:58] Due to poorly implemented communication from county administration, I'm wondering how

[26:04] this may like happened.

[26:05] If a vote was taken on March 26th of this year by legislators to close the facility and almost

[26:13] five months later on August 13th, the New York State Department of Health approved the closure,

[26:19] why was there not a perfectly smooth transition in place?

[26:24] Leadership should have made certain that the closure plan would address all the questions,

[26:28] fears, issues, worries, that residents, family members, and staff would have.

[26:37] The chairman of this legislature is the person who pulled the legislator towards behind

[26:41] closed doors on March 26th, and is responsible for the shoddy so-called vote in that

[26:48] executive session. The vote is a sham, certified at 5-4, then displamed by the absence of

[26:56] legislator as a four-four vote. And now explained that maybe originally 6-3, now 5-3,

[27:03] because of one legislator's misremembering how he voted. That legislator, who was always been a

[27:11] proponent of the Care Center, evidently voted for its closure. As they say, you can't make this up.

[27:19] I don't think there was a real vote on March 26 with moved, seconded,

[27:24] in favor posed asked by the chairman or recorded. So our county manager and the county attorney are also at fault.

[27:36] The poll or sham vote during executive session on March 26 was certified by the county and sent by the county to the New York State Department of Health in an application for closure of the care center at sunset lake. Again, you can't make this up.

[27:54] If the county's press release on August 19th, I'm in the county's press release on August 19th,

[28:01] the county promised to be a big help to residents, family members, and staff at the care center.

[28:07] Yet many are having a very hard time with the transition. You can understand how difficult it must be

[28:13] when you're vulnerable, frail, in pain, elderly, confused, in firm, to be moved from the home

[28:23] you know to a new place.

[28:25] Family members are upset that there are

[28:27] few facilities nearby

[28:28] that they must now travel a distance to visit

[28:32] and that maybe they cannot visit as frequently as they would want.

[28:36] Staff are worried about residents

[28:39] because they know the individuals very well.

[28:42] Know their needs, care about them.

[28:45] And worried that staff at a new facility may not give each resident

[28:49] personal and proper care.

[28:52] Staff are also worried about their own futures, jobs, salaries, unions, pensions.

[28:58] It's all very difficult and complicated.

[29:01] Despite claims by the county, communication has not been great.

[29:07] I'm very sad about all of this.

[29:09] I've never understood how the county legislature year after year has undervalued the importance

[29:16] for a low end and the good of our county's nursing home.

[29:19] The care center at sunset lake is a wonderful service to the community.

[29:24] It was never meant to make a profit, enterprise, fund, or not.

[29:29] Too bad that the legislature, including the chairman who campaigned on the words, save the ACC.

[29:36] Cannot see clear to do whatever was needed to bring our nursing home back to its former reputation of excellent care, respected and trusted.

[29:45] Yes, legislators are dealing with an incredibly difficult budget year, but somehow their outlook

[29:55] has not included the importance of this once-fine instance.

[30:00] I wish the care center was not closing. Thank you.

[30:05] I would like to also say that I wish it was not closing. It was a very difficult decision to make.

[30:13] However, for the benefit of all people, it had to be made.

[30:20] Didn't have to be made that day.

[30:23] Chair, just if everybody's done with public comment.

[30:26] I just wanted to.

[30:27] No, I believe there's there.

[30:28] Oh, I'm sorry.

[30:28] additional public comment, Lou, I didn't see you getting up. I apologize. I was going to

[30:34] be, no, you go because it was going to be about something that I'll be brought up. So

[30:42] well,

[30:42] maybe we are on the same page. What do I know? But first I want to say, I know that there are many

[30:49] emotional issues and frustrating issues that you deal with, you know, by the moment.

[30:58] We deal with

[31:03] group that was characterized as Phrilobani who come to meetings and stay informed about events

[31:11] in the county. So, back to a point that Albee raised earlier about the mental health crisis

[31:19] that is growing and Sullivan County.

[31:24] This is Germain to both the mental health issue

[31:26] and public safety, the purview of this committee.

[31:35] Although was purportedly taken,

[31:37] The closure plan application was submitted to the New York State Department of Health.

[31:42] Roughly five months later, you receive approval for that closure plan.

[31:48] And in the ensuing couple of weeks, the mental duress and trauma

[31:55] pressed upon family members

[31:58] and residents of the care center has been unconscionable.

[32:02] We were promised on August 19th that social workers would be made available to residents

[32:10] of the facility who were anxious and nervous and distraught over the closure and their potential

[32:18] of being displaced from Sullivan County, not just the care center.

[32:24] In response to specific residents experiencing such trauma, no social worker has appeared

[32:33] other than the staff at the care center itself to address those issues at last night's open

[32:40] forum for family members at the care center in relaying once again that concern of a particular

[32:47] resident rather than being told the social worker had counseled that resident we were advised

[32:53] that a psychiatric consult instead was made. I wonder what it caused to have a social worker speak

[33:04] someone to help calm their fears as opposed to having a psychiatrist come in and determine that

[33:12] the resident is not suicidal or in need of any kind of psychotropic medication, although I

[33:18] don't know that to be the case, whether any psychotropic medication was prescribed.

[33:26] We were promised

[33:27] as part of the closure plan that residents and their families would be able to make informed decisions

[33:34] about options open to them for their transfer of why they're themselves, or the family members,

[33:43] what kinds of facilities were available.

[33:46] The first list presented to family members and residents once the list was generated,

[33:51] was simply an alphabetical list of over 600 facilities across New York State.

[33:58] Many of the residents in the facility do not have access to the Internet

[34:02] to research those facilities, or their facilities on a revised list was finally presented

[34:08] to them last night, which has a more regionalized version of a list.

[34:16] And yet, the informed, to have a residence be informed about those options, the county

[34:24] has continued to send residents to a facility out of Sullivan County that is a one-star

[34:31] rated facility which also sports a red hand that there are verified abuse incidents that

[34:39] occurred at that facility. I find that further unconscionable that residents may have made

[34:46] the choice about a facility that they had no idea what the care is like there. And to that

[34:53] I was among those who recommended that your consultant receive the contract.

[35:00] After doing research into the three options that were presented, at the time they appeared to be the best possible choice.

[35:08] I'm one of those people who not only came to this legislature repeatedly to complain about the care and cite the decreasing star ratings and the number of citations on the survey reports and the number of complaint reports.

[35:24] And the fact that a resident died at the facility because of lack of appropriate care, it is further

[35:32] unconscionable.

[35:34] I was one of those people who made those concerns known to the Fific, you know, acronym

[35:40] Excuse me, Ken, of the New York State Department of Health to express our concerns about

[35:48] the lack of action by this legislature, the previous legislative board, to take appropriate

[35:55] action to make sure that those employed at the facility were adequately, adequately trained

[36:03] and competent and a respond appropriately to emergent situations, none of those things happened.

[36:15] And Mr. excuse me, a legislator in this body who was then a member of the Legislature has

[36:23] the unmitigated goal and I can appreciate frustration and emotional response to make

[36:29] accusatory comments that those who choose to come to meetings and attend meetings not only

[36:35] outside of this county, but two hours away to make our concerns known to protect the interest

[36:41] of residents and family members at our facility is just unbelievable to me.

[36:48] Again, I will tell you that your closure plan that has been presented has not been implemented

[36:54] as presented and it is unworthy of your continued support.

[37:01] you can alter the course that the ship is on and I implore you to change course.

[37:12] Yeah, sorry, I don't mean to, this is going to be a little bit off topic of what was just going on,

[37:17] but just wanted to thank everybody who was able to come out to the overdose awareness day,

[37:22] a vigil that was held the other day, no Dorothy, you spoke,

[37:26] and I really appreciate that.

[37:27] the first responders that came out out and many of the other people in this room.

[37:32] I think it's important to acknowledge some of the some of the work that we're doing

[37:35] in the community and and look forward to what we can do moving forward.

[37:40] You know, we're not where we want to be yet, but hopefully we're taking the steps we can

[37:44] and we're able to get there and I appreciate everybody that was able to be there.

[37:49] Cut.

[37:51] So I want to just say that this is a highly emotional topic when we talk about the Care Center.

[37:57] and what's been happening this year.

[38:02] I am very disappointed with how this closure plan has been put in place.

[38:11] Louis and I went to the meeting that was held for the employees when they were told on Wednesday.

[38:17] So I was just 1970, so I was like six o'clock in the morning.

[38:23] So I was disappointed with how some of the employees were treated during one of those meetings.

[38:29] They were not allowed to be humans.

[38:37] They had an emotional response.

[38:41] And I was disappointed with that.

[38:44] And then I was not there on the units when the residents were told,

[38:47] but I heard afterwards and I'm disappointed with how that went, too.

[38:53] As somebody who

[38:57] received that letter in 2020,

[38:59] I know how scary that is.

[39:05] I'm disappointed with the fact that it didn't seem like

[39:08] we amply communicated with families

[39:10] when it came to those meetings.

[39:12] I was at all three family meetings.

[39:14] I didn't know the first one was happening

[39:15] until I got a phone call like 9.22 in the morning

[39:18] that was happening at 10 30 and I live 30 minutes from the facility and I literally dropped

[39:22] everything I was doing to get there. Only one family showed up because we had not communicated

[39:28] and when I say, I mean the county. I had not communicated with families about this meeting. This

[39:34] meeting that is part of the process that is regular to this process through conversations with

[39:43] Young Budsman's Office and I want to thank the Young Budsman's Office, Theresa and Pamela have been incredible wealth of information.

[39:56] There is so much more that we could have done better.

[40:00] I've been to all three of the family meetings. And what I have heard family say, and Louis was also at the family meeting on Tuesday, is that they didn't know.

[40:11] And then last night at the meeting, because during Tuesday's meeting, the administrator said that he was going to make sure everyone got a phone call.

[40:18] People showed up last night angry because they had just found out the night before with this phone call.

[40:23] We were not providing resources to the families to support them during this time.

[40:28] Which is really scary.

[40:35] We needed to do better.

[40:36] And I'm telling you right now, we're going to do better from this day forward because nobody wants to deal with me.

[40:42] I'm so goddamn angry about all of this.

[40:46] I'm sorry. I just want to get through this. Um, I want the families to know that there is no rush.

[40:54] You do not have to transfer your loved one.

[40:57] That facility will stay open as long as they're a resident there.

[41:01] You can ask for a facility's admissions agreement.

[41:05] That outlines the, what that facility offers.

[41:08] You need to ask questions about what is your loved one need, right?

[41:12] and see if that facility meets those needs.

[41:15] I heavily encourage people to reach out to you

[41:17] to the Embudsman's Office

[41:17] and you can reach out to me for contact information.

[41:22] Because the Embudsman's Office

[41:23] has been an incredible resource during all of this.

[41:28] And the Embudsman's Office was supposed to be made aware

[41:32] of the closure upon approval by the DOH.

[41:35] The Embudsman's Office has said

[41:36] that they were not made aware

[41:37] until the day before the announcement was made

[41:39] and they scrambled to come to Sullivan County

[41:42] for that announcement on Wednesday, I believe it was August 19th, 18th, whatever.

[41:48] We got approved on August 13th.

[41:50] I think utilizing the Embudsman's Office would have been in everyone's best interest.

[41:59] When my mother was arrested at their, they had Robo calling.

[42:01] They had text messaging.

[42:03] They had emailing.

[42:04] I don't know why those three forms of communication were not utilized for this.

[42:08] this is the hardest thing that this facility is going to go through and the residents and the staff

[42:15] and the families. So, shame on us, shame on us. We could have done better and it doesn't cost

[42:24] extra to care. It doesn't. And as to the people who went to New York City in November of 2023,

[42:32] I was one of them. And I testified in front of that committee about my experiences and my mother's

[42:37] experiences as a resident,

[42:41] I still on my phone, have photos of the bed source and the

[42:45] ulcers that she had from a lack of care in neglect.

[42:53] The care my mother received during that

[42:55] time was terrible.

[43:00] I had to argue with the acting director of nursing in September of 2023

[43:05] to send my mother to the emergency room. All she wanted to do was talk to me about

[43:09] The day before I had been with my mother and she was responsive and talking and the next day, she wasn't and they had convinced my sister that we needed to put my mom on pallet of care and they called me and I was driving and I said I'm sorry, but you took blood for my mom two days ago, what does the blood work say?

[43:27] Oh, we don't have those blood work results in how do you not have blood work results in after 48 hours?

[43:33] So I said, okay, I can't make a decision. I'm her health care proxy. I can't make a decision about my mom without clinical data. Please send her to the hospital.

[43:42] Well, Kat, we see this sometimes with loved ones. They don't want to recognize when someone is declining.

[43:47] And I said, I'm sorry, but you're asking me to make a decision without information.

[43:53] My mom needs to see a doctor. And then the third time she tried to redirect me, I threatened them with 911. I literally pulled over and I said,

[44:01] If you do not call an ambulance for my mother, I am calling 911.

[44:05] I said, I have read just redirected to the hospital and my mother better be there when I get there.

[44:10] Very shortly after my mother, to the hospital, the doctor, upon pulling a urine sample without even the lab said she has a UTI.

[44:20] Upon further testing, my mother had the beginnings of a septic infection, which had I not sent her to the hospital could have killed her in a short period of time.

[44:28] Now, maybe not many people value the life of an 83-year-old woman, but I did.

[44:34] She was my mom.

[44:35] And you know what?

[44:36] She valued her life.

[44:37] She had a advanced directive.

[44:41] So when the hospital is said to me, you know, Ms. Scott, your mom has an advanced directive.

[44:46] And it says here that she would entertain a feeding tube.

[44:50] We put it into feeding tube.

[44:51] And it dawned on me during that conversation that the acting director of nursing never consulted

[44:55] my mother's advanced, care directive. That outline-

[45:00] That she wanted measures taken. They wanted to put her on pallet of care which would have killed her. By the end of the week,

[45:10] I did go down there in November of 2023, and I spoke about my experiences. And not a month later, my mother died from neglect. On that feeding tube, she was not supposed to be laid flat. And she was found laid flat. She aspirated on feeding liquids and my mother died. So don't tell me about what was said.

[45:32] done. I don't want to hear it. The care was bad. I lived it and I lived with the god damn

[45:41] guilt of it every single day. I'm directing it everybody. Because my mother's life had worse,

[45:50] it had worse to her, it had worse to me. And the only body who had any decision over her death was

[45:55] god, not somebody who couldn't take the time to do the job they were supposed to do or the

[46:01] and people in management to direct those people.

[46:06] So I understand what people are going through,

[46:08] and I'm very sorry, and we should do better,

[46:10] and by God, we are gonna do better from this day forward,

[46:13] because I'll call the Department of Health myself.

[46:17] Thank you.

[46:21] That morning, I was with her there,

[46:24] and I wanna make a comment about County of Poeese,

[46:29] for someone to start with Alex and his group,

[46:31] John, how are you and your group?

[46:33] Ryan, 911, and the people at the Adult Care Center.

[46:37] We were sitting there that morning when they were informed,

[46:39] So this is the quality of people we have working for Sullivan County.

[46:45] When they were told they were losing their jobs and that was the end of it, two of the nurses

[46:49] were crying and we sat in that little bench on the side there, I don't want to mention names.

[46:55] Their main concern was not that they were losing their job, their main concern was either

[47:01] going to take care of the patient I took care for 20 years.

[47:04] That was their main concern.

[47:06] nothing else nothing more than that same I really want to make sure that they're

[47:10] going to a facility and yesterday that don't the other day not yesterday they

[47:16] before I was here sitting and then there's another nurse was going to turn

[47:20] about who's going to take care of their patient and tells me I have my

[47:25] I have the 25 years of service but I don't have the age so I'm going to be

[47:30] losing my job and I'm going to be but I know we're going to be working to find

[47:35] places for her to be like that. I made a little bit of a check on one of the places

[47:40] that we're going to be using, amazing place, 15 new rooms. The problem that most of the people

[47:47] have is they have to travel now and I want to have to get to that destination. And one

[47:53] person told me, I don't even have a car. I'm going to get there.

[47:58] The disconnection between

[47:59] the person that you love that stay in that center is going to be broken. And I know that

[48:04] cat's got a new in myself that's paying most of our time when our loved ones were lived in.

[48:10] We were there almost every day. Why? Because being next to that person makes her like much better.

[48:17] It makes her tolerate more what goes on. Do you feel like you're not disconnected?

[48:21] You're going to disconnect them now. In my mind, you're going to expedite them passing away from that.

[48:28] That's going to create when you don't have nothing around you. That's what's going to create.

[48:34] Yeah, I was against, and I am against steel closing the Adorker Center.

[48:40] Whichever way it went, but my main concern right now is I got elected to take care of the people

[48:47] of this county and that is my job not to make sure we're making money and I've been laid off twice

[48:54] since I worked in this county. Two times, and let me tell you, anybody that works in that jail,

[49:00] you have to give them credit because I worked there for two weeks and I wanted to resign and get out of there

[49:06] but they gave me back my job

[49:09] We do it because we have a family to support. I had two little kids and I needed to get the money and again and again and again

[49:16] I didn't get elected to make money. I got elected to serve those that cannot take care of themselves

[49:23] Now we're going to go into executive session to discuss collective bargaining agreements. It would be the PBA and CSEA

[49:31] Can I have a motion in a second please motion are we taking any kind of vote while we're in there

[49:39] Matt Nick 1106

Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee on 2026-09-03 10:00 AM

Agenda

Transcript