County Officials Struggle With Nursing Home Costs

By Pat Bradley

Elizabethtown, NY – This is not the first time Essex County legislators have considered selling the county run Horace Nye Nursing home to a private entity. Essex County is losing money running the facility. County Manager Dan Palmer says it owes the general fund 5-point-nine million dollars since 2008.

Palmer says the biggest driver of costs at the nursing home is labor.

Essex County Board of Supervisors Chair Randy Douglas says with the nursing home running an annual deficit between 2 and 3 million dollars, they must consider options for the facility.

Town Of Chesterfield Supervisor Gerald Morrow believes the facility is needed and should be run by the county.

There are a number of counties in New York State trying to decide what to do with their county operated nursing homes. In Ulster County, a task force is assessing options for the Golden Hill Health Care Facility. County Legislator Walter Frey, Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, says their biggest cost is staffing.