The Blair County commissioners want to sell Valley View Home to a private entity whose first order of business will be to make it leaner and more profitable. Then when the entity flips it in three to five years, Valley View will look more enticing and lucrative to the next buyer.
All of this comes at the expense of the residents of Valley View and the quality care they receive. The staff - the same people who achieved the home's four-star standing - and their families will also pay.
Commissioners have said they would put stipulations in the sales agreement to prevent such things from occurring.
Any such thing must be agreed upon by the buyers. If so, those stipulations would only be in place for one to three years. It happens all the time in the private sector.
This is occurring on the theory that Valley View could become a potential liability in the future. I didn't realize the commissioners had a crystal ball or magic lamp telling them the future. It sounds to me like they are trying to fix something that isn't broken.
Commissioner Terry Tomassetti has assured us this is not being sold for a profit. So they are taking an asset (that is operating in the black) and selling it for a loss? Why sell now? There's no logical reason to sell Valley View right now other than the commissioners want that $13 million dollars for some reason.
When they burn through that money, what goes on the auction block next? Why don't the residents of Blair County have a say in this?
This whole thing reeks, and the closer you get to the commissioners' office, the stronger that stench becomes.
Jeffrey Benz
Altoona
