While
reviewing the donor list on Rick Pollitt’s campaign financial
reports, I found a couple of donations that seemed very odd. The
Berlin Nursing Home and Rehab Center has donated $1000. My first
question was “why would a Worcester County facility donate to the
Wicomico County campaign for County Executive” and then I
immediately wondered “who owns the nursing home”? Continuing on
in examining the donor list, I discovered another strange donation of
$1000 from a Sovereign Enterprises, LLC in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Researching them, they are described as a healthcare industry medical
supplier. Why would a corporation from Pennsylvania that deals with
medical supplies contribute to a county executive race in little
Wicomico County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore?
It
didn’t take long to put the picture together about Berlin Nursing
Home. It is owned by Mid Atlantic Health Care, LLC, whose principal
owner is Dr. Scott Rifkin, the same man who has wanted to buy the
county owned Wicomico Nursing Home. RICK POLLITT HAS ACCEPTED AT
LEAST ONE SIZEABLE DONATION FROM SOMEONE THAT CLEARLY WANTS SOMETHING
FROM THE COUNTY AND SOMEONE HE IS OR MAY BE IN NEOGIATIONS WITH. This
has CONFLICT OF INTEREST written all over it. The jury is still out
on who the Sovereign Enterprises donation is really from. Is
Dr.
Rifkin associated with that donation too? A man of “unimpeachable
integrity”, as Pollitt has described himself, should NEVER have
accepted donations that don’t pass the “smell” test. This
is QUESTIONABLE ETHICS and PERHAPS WORSE from County Executive Rick
Pollitt.
Wicomico
Nursing Home has a very rich history that I would like to share with
you.
In
1960, Mrs. Agatha Polk presented the idea of building a Skilled
Nursing Facility to her professional sorority, Beta Tau Chapter of
Phi Delta Kappa. Mrs. Polk had an ill father who could benefit from
the services provided in such a facility. The facilities in the area
did not admit people of African American descent. Her vision was for
a facility that would admit all people, regardless of race, color or
creed.
Mrs.
Polk approached John W. T. Webb, who was glad to help. Together they
drafted a list of names of prominent people in the community to form
a Board of Trustees. Over $500 was raised to begin the building fund
at a “kickoff” dinner given by the sorority, In May 1961, the
Nursing Home Project was incorporated. Finally on May11, 1965, the
Board of Trustees awarded the construction contract to George Bert
Cropper, Inc. He had submitted the low bid of $363,949 for a 50 bed
nursing home. The dedication was held on June 20, 1966.
When
the non-profit Board of Trustees ran into financial difficulty in
1972, the Wicomico County Council stepped up to take over the
operation to avoid its closing. The non-profit corporation dissolved
in September 1972.
Wicomico
County has owned and operated the Wicomico Nursing Home since 1972.
Wicomico
Nursing Home is known
for its exceptional care and is the facility of choice by many. IT
DOES NOT COST THE COUNTY A PENNY TO OPERATE.
Why “fix” what isn’t broken? What possible gain is it to the
County to sell it? Why would the Executive and his staff engage in
negotiations to sell it at this time? Why would Pollitt accept $1000
(and possibly more) in donations to his re-election campaign from the
man the County could be negotiating with?
Is
this the kind of questionable
ethics and poor judgement
we want in Wicomico County? I sincerely hope not.
35 comments:
I don't support Pollitt, but there is no reason any conservative should support the county running a nursing home. Nursing homes should be run by private companies, not the county government.
You can question Pollitt's ethics with this donation, but don't use your dislike of him to shill for a government-run nursing home.
9:04, REALLY? Well, do tell us then why Rick Pollitt never told ANY of the Council he was in negotiations to sell it.
We elected SEVEN Council Members to PROTECT us from such BS.
UNBELIEVABLE! This goes hand-in-hand with the deal made on the States Attorney's office where one company was shown favor. This is like insider trading.
We need to CLEAN HOUSE...and not just Pollitt. His staff is just as bad as he is. In fact, Pollitt has gotten worse since a couple of them have joined his team.
REALLY PEOPLE - HOW MUCH OF THIS BS ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE. VOTE HIM OUT!!!!
If he were a Republican this would be all over the local media. Since he's a Democrat, it's ok, nothing to see here folks, move along.
Joe - unfortunately, only one or two of the ones we elected will actually PROTECT us from this BS - the rest will support Ricky...cuz they're just as corrupt!
Sovereign Enterprises is a registered lobbyist operation that is run by a James A Hickey.
He has donated to other candidates in Maryland. Frank Kratovil in 2010 being one of them.
Answer to the last question in your post Joe, is NO. This is not a person we need a county executive (if we need one at all).
Now, as to what possible gain in selling it? PROFIT. Why would someone from out of state, out of county be interested in Wicomico politics? PROFIT.
You buy an operation like this, a not for profit, and jack it for all its worth and make it a for profit operation. Real shame, this was started with all good intentions.
I don't know anything about this but I do know the Berlin nursing home smelled putrid and anyone should be ashamed to lend their name to it. I wouldn't let my dog stay their much less a human I care about.
I've been in a few nursing homes and not all smelled like this place did.
Desperation on Ricky's part.
Mary Ashonte should be all over this. Here we have yet another WHITE politician trying to take advantage of the African American community.
It was established to serve ALL walks of life at an AFFORDABLE rate.
Turning it over to a for profit interest will certainly not keep it as an affordable opportunity for so many people who deserve such respect.
First the man uses the county credit card to buy a cup of coffee every morning and now this. No wonder he is running to Jonathan Taylor for support on his joke of a blog.
TO ALL LIBERALS TRYING TO COMMENT HERE, If you have something to say to me, send me an e-mail. Don't think you can come here and hold an anonymous conversation with me.
I don't have time to chat here in comments. Besides, I'd like to know who you are.
Rick's campaign should have never accepted a campaign donation from anyone who they have county business with. This shows the level of desperation along with questionable integrity. I believe this could be illegal and should be checked by the MD Election Commission.
Very disappointing.
Some call them "campaign contributions", more realistic citizens call them bribes.
Can't believe anyone would not realize they shouldn't accept donations or he might have but it just doesn't matter to Rick. It appears he is willing to do whatever to get campaign funds. That is very sad.
Wrong, simply wrong!!!!!
9:43 who should be notified about this donation.
9:43 who should be notified about this donation.
Report it to md election commission.
Berlin Nursing Home did not make any other campaign contributions to any campaigns but Pollitts. Ouch.
Berlin nursing homes has signs up. All democrat candidates.
Probably looking at them to expand Medicaid now just like the big food companies did with food entitlements.
Please put this at the top.
Joe should have seen Slicky Ricky in Fruitland. .....they even got rid of him...Wicomico county should do the same
10:04
Get your tin hat back on and climb back under you reserved rock!
I want to know why a Pennsylvania lobbyist donated $1000 to his campaign.
He needs to explain this.
Just saw this. How can an elected official take money from someone who is making a deal with them legally? This has got to be illegal.
This is reminiscent of the donation to Barrie Tilghman's campaign by Hebreaux St.Fleur, who, after the election, got special favors from the city council.
9:04AM - I have a comment about the county run Nursing Home. I have been in every nursing home in Salisbury for one relative or another and the Wicomico Nursing home is the BEST run on the shore. Making it private will certainly make it go down hill like the rest.
To 3:35 -- spoken like a true socialist.
9:04. I agree with you. I can't believe the county would even consider making changes there. It is obviously all about the money for the county and the campaign donations for Rick. He was crazy to accept a penny.
I had no idea that Wicomico Nursing Home was run by the county.
I have been a nurse for 40 years never worked Wicomnico SNF however it has always had the highest reputation! Watch not only that possible sale but guarantee you within ten years Norm Conway will ensure that Deers Head will be sold to PRMC or a developer that's what Omalley and Brown want!!!!
As a long term professional in the medical field in Wicomico County I have recommended Wicomico Nursing Home to many of my friends and colleagues. Choosing a long-termed facility for a loved one can be a difficult decision but knowing that there is one which sets itself apart with quality of care helps a family feel more comfortable. It is disappointing that Mr. Pollitt would consider making changes with Wicomico NH when his plate should be filled with the economic situation that exist locally.
My vote will be for anyone that is NOT in office now. A new broom sweeps clean. Don't trust anyone who is now in office.
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