Several county lawmakers want delay in County Home vote

Oct 10, 2013 7:49 AM

Dave Rowley, News Director

Chautauqua County lawmakers will likely vote on a proposal to sell the County Home to VestraCare on October 30th, despite efforts to have the vote held after Election Day on November 5th. Fredonia Democrat Bill Coughlin was among the legislators who favored delaying the vote and tried to convince one of the owners of VestraCare to extend the contract.

Coughlin-Wants delay in vote

But, Dunkirk Democrat Keith Ahlstrom, who represents the district where the facility is located, felt the vote should take place during a special meeting on October 30th. Edward Farbenblum, one of the principles of VestraCare says it would be difficult to extend the contract since the group is looking into other publically owned facilities.

Farbenblum-Difficult to extend contract

Legislature Chairman Jay Gould says he expects the vote to take place on October 30th, since the purchase contract expires on October 31st. Legislators spent about two hours questioning a team that included Farbenblum and three other people from the Golden Hill Nursing Home in Ulster County.