Hometown Health’s pediatrics team fully staffed, qualified

In the May 2 article, “New health center for special-needs children at full staff,” Dr. Kevin Karpowicz, a local pediatrician, claimed that he opened a pediatric health center out of concern that a large number of his special-needs patients wouldn’t receive appropriate care from family practitioners at Hometown Health Centers. Dr. Karpowicz is a former medical director at Hometown Health who resigned in January. The opinion expressed by Dr. Karpowicz went unchallenged in your story, which unfortunately may have given it greater credibility.

If asked to comment by your reporter, we would have explained how Hometown Health Centers has provided children and families in Schenectady with high-quality medical and dental services for generations. We would have been happy to introduce him to Dr. Tecoa Turner. She’s a wonderful, young pediatrician and new mom who works full-time at the health center. He may have also enjoyed talking to Dr. Edwin Windle, another highly skilled pediatrician. Dr. Windle received certification from the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Internal Medicine. He previously worked at St. Peter’s Medical Group Practice.

What your readers may not know is Hometown Health Centers also has a dental outreach program specifically designed for children. Hometown dental hygienists go into Schenectady city schools and provide routine and preventative care to nearly 4,000 city children each year — regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

Hometown Health Centers has a fully staffed clinical team of pediatricians, family practitioners, registered nurses, physician assistants and nurse practitioners ready to serve the health care needs of children, adults and seniors.

To imply that Hometown Health Centers is not staffed or qualified to care for Schenectady’s children is not only inaccurate but a tremendous disservice to our dedicated team of primary care providers.

John M. Silva

Schenectady

The writer is president and CEO of Hometown Health Centers.

National Grid plan a ploy for bigger profits

The announcement of National Grid’s most recent proposal for raising rates reeks of the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing [May 6 Gazette]. It sounds to me like more of a ploy for a utility company to make a bigger profit, than some magnanimous gesture to save energy and money for the consumer.

This is not a new idea. There are already programs out there to encourage people to save energy. The federal government, for example, has offered tax breaks to those who spend their money on energy-saving projects. What makes National Grid think that an additional incentive program, under their auspices, will make some miraculous reduction in the consumption of energy?

Those living paycheck to paycheck in today’s economy are not likely to spend $200 on a new window in order to get $10 back from National Grid. Many don’t have the $200 to put up front in the first place. Landlords are not likely to make improvements, because most of their renters pay their own utilities. It’s unlikely that anyone but National Grid will profit by this proposed plan. At best, it would probably be a wash for those who would participate, as the raised rates and the cost of the energy-saving changes would override any savings seen on utility bills.

Susan Crossett of National Grid is quoted as saying: “As part of this initiative, we’re proposing that we be allowed to recover the loss of delivery revenue that would result from the successful implementation of the program.” I don’t believe National Grid can be successful in implementing such a program. They are the company that has had to reimburse its customers more than once for too many inexcusable power outages. They need to “fix” what already exists before raising rates for some dubious new program which, in all likelihood, will only create more financial distress for most of their consumers.

Sue Penny

Niskayuna

Mothers deserve help with child care

I’m writing on Mother’s Day in honor of all mothers to insist that Congress make child care and Head Start top priorities for increased funding. Supporting the development of child care and Head Start programs benefits not only children, but parents and the community as well.

Today, nearly two-thirds of mothers with young children are in the labor force. These working mothers help to keep their families afloat. Child care can give mothers the support and peace of mind they need to excel at their jobs — plus, it is extremely important to our nation’s future, because children who are enrolled in high-quality child care are more prepared for kindergarten. Even though studies have shown that Head Start and Early Head Start are essential for children’s development, millions of eligible children still don’t have access to these important programs.

For these reasons and more, it’s vital that Congress make child care and Head Start national funding priorities.

Bill Liddle

Rotterdam

Bargy’s performance anything but ‘lackluster’

Re May 11 article, “Youth Bureau leader facing harsh critics”: Shane Bargy “lackluster” performance? Where did Susan Savage, chairwoman of the county Legislature, come up with that?

My experience, and that of people who worked with him here and in the state, was quite different. Shane was a breath of fresh air. I write as a former county legislator, someone involved in the community since 1968 including coordinating the Hamilton Hill Forum for 13 years. Shane, in his role as director of the Youth Bureau, was able, collaborative and innovative. He played an important part in partnerships and the Schenectady’s Promise program — just what the county should want in an administrator. He listened, questioned and tried to find common ground.

From my observation of Chairwoman Savage and County Attorney Chris Gardner, those are skills they should try to model rather than condemn.

Jim Murphy

Scotia

Libraries that stayed open during renovations

From 1985 to 2007, as an administrator with the New York State Library, I was often in touch with staff in public libraries across upstate New York. To the best of my knowledge, though a great many libraries renovated and constructed additions during those 22 years, not one found it necessary to close for an extended period.

On the contrary, Albany, Bethlehem, Buffalo, Canajoharie, Cobleskill and Cohoes are just the beginning of a long list of large and small libraries that — perhaps to the frustration of the contractors — managed to keep their buildings open during such work. The patrons of those libraries would not have settled for less.

Jane Somers

Delanson

Don’t discard penny divide it further

In regard to Mr. Edwin Reilly Jr.’s plea to save the penny [“Movement to get rid of the ‘nuisance’ penny makes no cents,” May 11 Sunday Gazette], I’m in perfect agreement, but would like to expand the thought a bit.

We should immediately create a tenth of a penny coin (ten-pence?). This will save the public millions of dollars lost now to the oil companies by their rounding up their “99” to a full dollar.

They have been getting away with price fraud for too long. And it would feel good having a pocket full of coins. It could contain a full-face portrait of Dick Cheney.

Al Harris

Ballston Spa

Ron Paul would make great VP for Democrats

Very soon the Democrats will be looking for a vice president. Someone to step in. Someone with a brain to balance the economy in a realistic way.

Hello — Ron Paul. I’d vote that ticket!

Dianne Chagnon Burns

Scotia

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