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Samaritan Health lays off 51, extends furloughs
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — Samaritan Health in Watertown announced the layoff of 51 employees, effective Sept. 10, citing “continued disruption of patient volumes and revenue due to [the] COVID-19 crisis.” In addition, 44 open positions will not be filled for a total of 95 impacted positions, the organization said in a news release. Several Samaritan health […]
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WATERTOWN, N.Y. — Samaritan Health in Watertown announced the layoff of 51 employees, effective Sept. 10, citing “continued disruption of patient volumes and revenue due to [the] COVID-19 crisis.”
In addition, 44 open positions will not be filled for a total of 95 impacted positions, the organization said in a news release. Several Samaritan health services will also be “restructured to increase operational efficiencies and respond to lower patient volumes.”
At the same time, 21 employees originally placed on furlough in April will have their furlough extended. Samaritan leadership plans to call those furloughed employees back to work when patient volume and operations “stabilize.”
The staffing changes will result in a $5 million cost reduction from salaries for the health-care system, which faces an anticipated $10 million revenue shortfall for the year. While cost savings are part of the plan, Samaritan will also pursue pending, revenue-generating opportunities to help the overall budget shortfall.
Samaritan Health says the hospital is still hiring for a number of positions and many of the laid-off employees will get the chance to apply for these 200 open positions, the organization noted.
Samaritan’s human-resources department will be working with those employees to help fill those roles. The department will coordinate with the New York State Department of Labor to provide outplacement assistance if a different position within the health-care system isn’t available.
Staff members impacted who do not find another position within the organization will be offered a severance package based on years of service. The positions affected span several departments, from nursing to senior leadership.
Budget shortfall
The budget shortfall is a “direct result” of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in patient volumes dropping by as much as 40 percent at certain points throughout the year and higher costs for personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing, “among other unanticipated expenses.” The pandemic has caused patients to fear coming to the hospital for services and “many have delayed care as a result,” Samaritan Health contends.
The organization has also been preparing for a possible second wave of COVID-19 cases as it enters autumn.
In addition, federal CARES Act relief provided to Samaritan was “much less than expected,” as the organization missed out on the initial round of rural funding, and “proportionately far less than others in the region.” Samaritan also noted it did not receive Paycheck Protection Program funds — another pocket of CARES dollars — “due to being designated an urban area and employing more than 500 people.”
“Prior to 2020, Samaritan experienced a decade of uninterrupted growth in revenue and services. However, the drastic negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient volumes and revenue has necessitated the difficult measures we’re taking to ensure the continued financial viability of our health-care system,” Tom Carman, president and CEO, said in the release. “Health-care systems everywhere are facing the same financial constraints driven primarily by fewer patients. We recognize the important role Samaritan plays as the largest private employer in the community, with more than 2,300 full-time employees, and it’s our intention to place the interests of our patients and our broad employee base first as we continue to weather this challenge.”
Other measures
Samaritan also implemented the several measures to help “stabilize” the financial burden it faces, reach “operational efficiency,” and adhere to COVID-19 restrictions.
The cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program and adult day health care remain temporarily suspended until spacing regulations and other COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Samaritan Health is eliminating its transportation department. The organization will instead work with local, third-party vendors to transport long-term care residents for medical care off-site.
The consolidation of the Sackets, Lacona, and Cape Vincent clinics into other existing larger clinics will remain intact until the end of the year, when that measure will be “reassessed.” LeRay Family Health Center has re-opened and providers are seeing patients in their existing space, though radiology services at this location will no longer be available.
LeRay Urgent Care permanently closed on Sept. 13. All providers and staff will be relocated to other primary-care locations, where Samaritan will offer more same-day appointments and will accept more new patients, including at the LeRay Family Health Center located in the same building.
Lab Service Centers at Orthopaedics and Neurology will remain closed. Patients can get these services at other community-based locations, Samaritan Health said.
Many of the cost-saving measures initiated in April will also continue, the organization said.
They include the 15-percent pay cut for all senior-management positions and deferment of all merit increases for management staff.
They also include the suspension of new capital construction projects that are not revenue-generating and limiting capital purchases to emergency projects or supplies
CNY companies certified as service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses
Several area companies in recent weeks have been certified by the New York State Office of General Services’ (OGS) Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD). They include SJ’s Residential Plumbing, Heating, and AC LLC in Endicott, which specializes in HVAC services, per a Sept. 14 OGS announcement. On Aug. 31, OGS reported that RSC
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Several area companies in recent weeks have been certified by the New York State Office of General Services’ (OGS) Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD).
They include SJ’s Residential Plumbing, Heating, and AC LLC in Endicott, which specializes in HVAC services, per a Sept. 14 OGS announcement.
On Aug. 31, OGS reported that RSC Contractors LLC of Syracuse; BMD Armed Security Inc. of Syracuse; and Ground Force Property Services LLC of Liverpool had also secured the service-disabled veteran-owned business (SDVOB) certification.
RSC Contractors of Syracuse is a general contractor specializing in site work and electrical disciplines. BMD Armed Security provides security guard and patrol services. Ground Force Property Services offers landscaping and snow-removal services.
On July 13, OGS had announced that Strategic Fish LLC of Fayetteville and Pro Custom Construction LLC of Norwood in St. Lawrence County had also been approved for the SDVOB certification.
Strategic Fish provides business management and consulting services. Pro Custom Construction specializes in general construction.
The DSDVBD was created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014 through enactment of the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act. As of Sept. 14, a total of 843 businesses have been certified in the Empire State.
The law promotes and encourages participation of SDVOBs in New York State public procurements of public works, commodities, services, and technology to “foster and advance economic development” in the state.
For a business to receive certification, one or more service-disabled veterans — with a service-connected disability rating of 10 percent or more from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs for National Guard veterans) — must own at least 51 percent of the business. Other criteria include: the business must be independently owned and operated and have a significant business presence in New York, it must have conducted business for at least one year prior to the application date, and it must qualify as a small business under the New York State program. Several more requirements also need to be met.
NYSTEC to open new procurement technical assistance center
Service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses in the Mohawk Valley and Capital Region could benefit from a new procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) that is set to open in Troy on Oct. 1 with a subcenter in Rome. NYSTEC (New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation) has announced the upcoming opening of the IgniteU NY PTAC, which will provide procurement
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Service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses in the Mohawk Valley and Capital Region could benefit from a new procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) that is set to open in Troy on Oct. 1 with a subcenter in Rome.
NYSTEC (New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation) has announced the upcoming opening of the IgniteU NY PTAC, which will provide procurement and technical-consulting services to businesses in the Mohawk Valley and Capital Region that seek to participate in government contracts.
Effective Oct. 1, the IgniteU NY PTAC will help businesses pursue and perform under contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies, state and local governments, and government prime contractors, NYSTEC said in a news release.
“IgniteU NY PTAC will help businesses understand the public-sector procurement processes so they can successfully win government contracts,” Mike Walsh, president & CEO of NYSTEC, said in a statement. “We will offer technical assistance and training workshops to meet the needs of businesses of any type and size, including minority-owned, woman-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. And, if you are not yet certified, we can help you get certified and navigate the challenges of selling to federal, state, or local government.”
The IgniteU NY PTAC will offer a wide variety of no-cost services to existing businesses interested in selling their goods and services to local, state, and/or federal-government agencies.
Services will include one-on-one guidance and training in areas such as identifying contract opportunities, helping prepare bids and proposals, performing market research, marketing to potential buyers, advising on contract management, and managing payment.
The PTAC will be headquartered at the IgniteU NY Office located at 333 Broadway in Troy with a subcenter at NYSTEC corporate headquarters located at 99 Otis St. in Rome. The PTAC will serve businesses in 17 New York counties — Oneida, Herkimer, Otsego, Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, and Washington.
“The alignment of the new PTAC under our IgniteU NY program will play a crucial role in aiding businesses as they look to enter the government marketplace,” Evan DeGennaro, innovation and entrepreneurship manager at NYSTEC, said. “We’re excited to be expanding the IgniteU NY suite of services offered in support of business growth in our local communities.”
NYSTEC says it has been “active in economic development since its inception.”
In 2015, the company made an “additional commitment” to support the growth of small businesses and startups by creating IgniteU NY, an independent program focused on developing entrepreneurs throughout New York state.
With the mission of “empowering entrepreneurs to create new opportunities, solve new problems, and create value, the IgniteU NY program closely aligns with the mission of the PTAC and demonstrates NYSTEC’s longstanding commitment and successes in this area,” NYSTEC said.
About NYSTEC
NYSTEC is an independent, nonprofit technology consulting company headquartered in Rome with offices in Albany and New York City.
Created in 1996 to facilitate the transfer of technology, innovation, and expertise between the public and private sectors in support of economic development, today NYSTEC is an adviser to government agencies, institutions, and businesses, assisting with strategic planning, technology acquisitions and implementations, and data optimization across industries.
NYSTEC helps support the Central and Upstate New York “innovation system” through its startup accelerator, IgniteU NY.
Kocan joins St. Joseph’s Health Cardiovascular Institute in North Country
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — St. Joseph’s Health recently announced that Sonja Kocan, a family nurse practitioner, has joined the St. Joseph’s Health Cardiovascular Institute in Watertown and Gouverneur. In this new role, Kocan joins a team of practitioners providing comprehensive cardiology care to the community. Kocan is a licensed family nurse practitioner with more than four
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WATERTOWN, N.Y. — St. Joseph’s Health recently announced that Sonja Kocan, a family nurse practitioner, has joined the St. Joseph’s Health Cardiovascular Institute in Watertown and Gouverneur.
In this new role, Kocan joins a team of practitioners providing comprehensive cardiology care to the community.
Kocan is a licensed family nurse practitioner with more than four years of experience. Prior to joining St. Joseph’s Health, she worked as a nurse practitioner at Canton-Potsdam Hospital in Potsdam. Kocan previously worked as a registered nurse at the Upstate Medical University Hospital Emergency Department in Syracuse and Claxton Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg.
Kocan earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Columbia College in Syracuse, and a master’s degree in nursing from the Upstate Medical University’s College of Nursing. She is certified in basic life support (or BLS) and emergency neurological life support (or ENLS).
Oneida County hotels continued business bounceback in August with nearly 6 out of 10 rooms filled
UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County hotels continued to get busier in August compared to July, June, and May amid the coronavirus pandemic, with occupancy approaching 60 percent. The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rebounded to 58.4 percent in August from 49.5 percent in July, 41.3 percent
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UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County hotels continued to get busier in August compared to July, June, and May amid the coronavirus pandemic, with occupancy approaching 60 percent.
The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rebounded to 58.4 percent in August from 49.5 percent in July, 41.3 percent in June, and 29.2 percent in May, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. Still, occupancy was down more than 26 percent from August 2019 levels, suppressed by the COVID-19 crisis.
Oneida County’s revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room rose to $73.89 in August, from $59.05 in July, $39.42 in June, and $24.61 in May. However, RevPar was down almost 32 percent from a year ago.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, improved to $126.48 in August from $119.32 in July, $95.46 in June, and $84.36 in May, but was still off 7.6 percent from a year prior.
New York milk production edges up in August
New York dairy farms produced 1.293 billion pounds of milk in August, up 0.6 percent from 1.285 billion pounds in the year-ago month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. Production per cow in the state averaged 2,065 pounds in August, up slightly from 2,050 pounds a year prior. The number of milk
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New York dairy farms produced 1.293 billion pounds of milk in August, up 0.6 percent from
1.285 billion pounds in the year-ago month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported.
Production per cow in the state averaged 2,065 pounds in August, up slightly from 2,050 pounds a year prior.
The number of milk cows on farms in New York state totaled 626,000 head in August, compared to 627,000 head in August 2019, NASS reported.
On the milk-price front, New York dairy farmers in July were paid an average of $18.50 per hundredweight, up $3 from June, but down 30 cents from July 2019. Milk prices have rebounded from the worst effects of the coronavirus pandemic, after hitting a low of $13.30 in May.
New Nursing-Home Policy is a Win for New York Families
New York families recently received some long-awaited good news with the announcement that restrictive nursing-home visitation policies were finally being adjusted. Nursing-home visits had been banned since March because of the pandemic. Since then, some residents’ friends and loved ones were unable to visit because of strict visitation rules that went into effect over the summer.
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New York families recently received some long-awaited good news with the announcement that restrictive nursing-home visitation policies were finally being adjusted. Nursing-home visits had been banned since March because of the pandemic. Since then, some residents’ friends and loved ones were unable to visit because of strict visitation rules that went into effect over the summer.
For weeks, the Assembly Minority Conference has advocated for a more fair and compassionate policy. New York state’s COVID-19 rate has significantly dropped and precautions in place have proven effective in curbing the spread of the virus. There was no rational explanation for some facilities to allow visitation while others were forced to remain apart from their loved ones. Even visitations at state prisons had resumed weeks before families could see their loved ones in a nursing home.
Under the state’s new, relaxed policy, nursing-home visitation can resume if a facility is deemed COVID-free for 14 days, half of the previous 28-day rule that made it nearly impossible for families to see loved ones in nursing homes. While the updated guidance will only allow eligible visitation in about 500 of the state’s 613 nursing homes, interaction, daily visits, and communication are extremely important for both the residents and their families.
The emotional toll the pandemic has had on residents has been enormous. For many, the lengthy absence of companionship was extremely stressful and upsetting. We listened to families advocating on behalf of their close friends and relatives. Our conference repeatedly pressed the Cuomo administration to rethink its policy and devise a better plan — one that keeps residents safe while also addressing critical mental-health needs associated with the lack of visitation.
The Assembly Minority Conference is absolutely dedicated to ensuring all New Yorkers can take care of their loved ones as we emerge from this public-health crisis. Yes, health and safety are critical, but so are the emotional and mental-health needs of nursing-home residents, their families, and all those in professional care.
I am extremely pleased the governor and Department of Health (DOH) have reversed course on this issue. However, there is still much more work to be done in order to get our state and its residents back on the most-beneficial path. Too many of the governor’s policies have been rooted in rhetoric and impulse rather than reason. Too much of his overall pandemic response has mirrored the nursing-home visitation policies — long after the state managed to tamp down the spread of the virus, uncompromising policies harmful to small businesses and consumers alike remain in place. Simply put, it is long-past time the traditional authorities given to the state legislature are restored, and end the governor’s expanded emergency powers.
Make no mistake — this nursing-home decision was a step in the right direction, but we must continue to work together to find ways to protect the interests of every New Yorker. With visitation now allowed, the governor and DOH must now address the exact number of nursing-home deaths. The repeated requests, both formal and informal, cannot continue to be ignored. Anything shy of that is a disservice to the people we have been elected to represent.
William (Will) A. Barclay, Republican, is the New York Assembly Minority Leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact Barclay at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us
The Art of Giving Political Speeches
I was talking to a friend not long ago who was pretty down on politics in all its forms. “I actually find real enjoyment in politics,” I told him. He asked if I was nuts. No, I said, there’s a lot of pleasure — even joy — to be found in participating. Case in point:
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I was talking to a friend not long ago who was pretty down on politics in all its forms. “I actually find real enjoyment in politics,” I told him. He asked if I was nuts.
No, I said, there’s a lot of pleasure — even joy — to be found in participating. Case in point: getting the chance to listen to gifted speakers.
For many years, I was fortunate to have a seat on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, which gave me a chance to observe some of the best orators in the nation.
For instance, there was Hale Boggs from Louisiana, the outstanding Democratic leader who tragically disappeared on a plane flight in Alaska in 1972. He was, in many ways, like an actor — he spoke with complete confidence, enjoyed commanding a crowd, and reveled in the performance; you could listen and relax in the knowledge that you were in the hands of a master.
I also remember Carl Albert, from Oklahoma, who was House Speaker in the 1970s. He never referred to notes; he always appeared to be speaking extemporaneously — though I sometimes thought he must have practiced a great deal. One of his great gifts was that he had an impressive grasp of many different pieces of legislation, and so could speak knowledgeably and cogently on any of them.
John Lewis, the Georgia Congressman and civil-rights icon, had a marvelous, booming voice. People couldn’t help themselves — when he took the floor, they stopped whatever they were doing to listen. He had a gift for elevating any particular issue to a higher plane that called on people to remember the best in their nation and in themselves, which may be why, whenever he came into the House well to speak, young staff members would gather in the back of the chamber to listen to him.
Republican John Anderson of Illinois took a different approach. He wasn’t so much an orator as a debater, a politician of high intelligence who enjoyed the intellectual challenge of politics. As a result, he was a superb debater, with a great fondness for the verbal give and take as he faced off against an ideological opponent. He mastered every subject he took on and defended his positions with wit and verve.
So did John McCormack from Massachusetts, who was House Speaker during the 1960s. Very quick on the draw, he would turn to his adversary in debate and say something like, “I hold the gentleman in minimum high regard,” to the amusement of everyone around. McCormack, too, loved being in the fray — he would readily relinquish the Speaker’s chair so he could go down to the floor and throw himself into verbal combat.
Edith Green, from Oregon, had been a schoolteacher and then a lobbyist for the state education association before coming to Congress, and she carried those skills with her to the House. In a sense, she made the House her classroom, and when she had the mic, she was engaging but firm as she battled to advance women’s issues and social reform.
Mo Udall of Arizona took a different approach. He always spoke with humor and tried to make his listeners see the lighter side of things. Udall believed you should have a good time while you participated in serious subjects; he had a memorable ability to come up with just the right anecdote to illustrate the points he wanted to make. He made you want to listen because it was so enjoyable to do so.
Despite their different approaches, these people — and other great speakers — were articulate, spoke fluidly, and clearly, and showed great confidence and ease. They obviously enjoyed it. They were people who strove to make themselves understood, without showing the effort involved.
So, while oratory may come in different packages, the chance to watch great communicators at work gives you a better sense of who they are, why they have succeeded, and why our multi-faceted political system is so interesting, engaging, and important.
Lee Hamilton, 89, is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years (1965-1999), representing a district in south central Indiana.
DAVID M. TEHAN has joined Adirondack Bank senior VP of retail loan administration. He brings 16 years of loan servicing and loan-operations experience to the position and nearly 30 years of experience in the financial-services industry. Most recently, Tehan was a director in operations for the Bank of New York Mellon. He earned his bachelor’s
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DAVID M. TEHAN has joined Adirondack Bank senior VP of retail loan administration. He brings 16 years of loan servicing and loan-operations experience to the position and nearly 30 years of experience in the financial-services industry. Most recently, Tehan was a director in operations for the Bank of New York Mellon. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business public management from SUNYIT.
Erie Materials, a regional distributor of building materials in New York and Pennsylvania, has made several promotions and new hires. BRENDAN PFEIFER was promoted to inside sales at the Auburn location. He has worked in the warehouse since October 2018. Pfeifer has previous experience in customer service and counter sales. BILL MILLER has been promoted
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Erie Materials, a regional distributor of building materials in New York and Pennsylvania, has made several promotions and new hires. BRENDAN PFEIFER was promoted to inside sales at the Auburn location. He has worked in the warehouse since October 2018. Pfeifer has previous experience in customer service and counter sales. BILL MILLER has been promoted to operations manager of the Utica branch, replacing Frank Montana, who is retiring after 24 years of service. Miller has more than 35 years of experience in the building-materials industry and joined Erie Materials in 1999 as a territory manager. MITCH GHEZZI has been promoted to territory manager at the Utica branch. He has served in various sales roles in both building-materials manufacturing and distribution over the past 13 years. Ghezzi joined Erie Materials in February 2020. BARBARA DIANGELO joined Erie Materials’ human-resources team in Syracuse. She holds a dual certification as a professional in human resources from SHRM and HRCI and has human-resources experience in several industries. BOB BUSCH has been promoted to warehouse manager at the company’s distribution center in Syracuse. He has been with Erie Materials for 10 years and was promoted to assistant warehouse manager in 2013. PAUL WHITE, JR. has been promoted to assistant warehouse manager at the distribution center. He joined Erie Materials in June 2012 and has handled a variety of tasks.
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