Tears fall as CHHA is sold to VNA

UPDATE: Thursday August 29, 1:34p.m.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Members of Livingston County’s Certified Home Health Agency’s,CHHA, left in tears as the Board of Supervisors announced that Livingston County’s CHHA has been sold.

After much deliberation, the Livingston County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to sell Livingston County’s CHHA to the Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York,VNA, for a grand total of $1,000,000.

“The action taken by the board today is the next step in the process,” said Ian Coyle, Livingston County Administrator.

Almost half of the Board of Supervisors were split in this decision making process. Out of the seventeen town supervisors, eight voted not to sell Livingston County’s CHHA. Those towns were, Avon, Conesus, Leicester, Mount Morris, North Dansville, Portage, Springwater, and West Sparta.

“The majority of the board felt that this action was necessary given New York State’s decision to increase providers in our county,” said Coyle.

County officials reassure that no CHHA workers will be out of work due to this transition.

According to officials, the proposal to sell the Livingston County CHHA to the VNA of Western New York was reviewed by County Administrator Ian Coyle, Joan Flender M.D., Jeffrey Hanson M.D., James Merrick, William Wadsworth, Peter Yendell and Jennifer Rodriguez, Director of Public Health, which unanimously recommended the proposal of the VNA.

The sale was also approved by the Human Services Committee as well as the Ways and Means Committee.

On August 14, the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing regarding this matter in which they allowed 35 people, whether they were workers for the CHHA, workers for the VNA, or private citizens to speak their mind supporting or opposing the sale of Livingston County’s CHHA.

Members of Livingston County’s CHHA claim they received an email stating that they were prohibited to have any sort of public comment.

However, according to Coyle, just as the public hearing showed on August 14, anyone can say whatever they want in regards to this matter, there can not be repercussions against staff for comments made regarding an issue of community interest.

“Misinformation by those that oppose the selling of CHHA doesn’t surprise me,” said Coyle.