We are laying off people as I write this - nothing has been announced... Old news: Ulster County employees at the Golden Hill nursing home in Kingston were notified Tuesday that while an exact date for the transfer of the nursing home to a private company has not be determined, layoffs are impending.
In a letter to the county workers, County Personnel Director Brenda Bartholomew said under the contract with the CSEA, there must be at least a 30 day notice of layoff, putting the layoffs no sooner than mid-June.
Bartholomew said she expects that “the vast majority of current employees will receive offers from the new owner prior to the final transfer.”
The letter to the employees sets forth the impacts of the sale of the facility in terms of health insurance, leave accruals, seniority and tuition reimbursement.
The county, which had been subsidizing the operations of the nursing home for years, created a local development corporation last year and gave it the mission of finding a buyer for Golden Hill. After undergoing an extensive vetting process, the LDC chose Golden Hill Acquisition Corporation, headed by Dr. Anthony Bacchi, to purchase the facility for $11.25 million.