Karl Kraus and Bonnie Miles march in protest to the possible closing of the Mt. View Health Facility. Mr. Kraus's wife Dorothy, has been a resident of Mt. View for just a little over a year now and he says she has received t Click on photo for larger image

Mt. View closer to sale
By Jill Terreri
Wednesday, June 09, 2026

LOCKPORT — The county’s nursing home is one step closer to going up for sale after a Legislature committee voted Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a union president says he has a plan that could make county lawmakers change their minds.

Union members and relatives of Mount View patients filled the room at the county public safety training facility where the county’s Community Services Committee met Tuesday night, but their presence did not deter the committee from voting 4-3 to put out a request for proposals to potential buyers.

If the Lockport nursing home and rehabilitation facility is not purchased within a year, a process to close it will be initiated, according to the approved resolution.

County Manager Gregory Lewis was charged with examining options for Mount View’s future, which include selling it, closing it, renovating it or keeping it as it is. In light of a financial analysis, Lewis recommended to the Community Services Committee one month ago to sell it, or, if that doesn’t work, close it. In May, the committee tabled the motion, but it was back on the committee’s agenda Tuesday.

Many lawmakers have said that if the unions had made more concessions, they would not vote to close the nursing home.

Mount View will require a $1.2 million taxpayer subsidy this year, a number that is expected to continue to grow, at least until 2007. The county has asked the unions for $600,000 in concessions, and has not received them.

Lawmakers have said that even if the motion to sell passes at next week Legislature meeting, nothing will happen immediately, and there will still be time to negotiate more concessions with the unions, if they are willing.

Ed McDonald, president of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees union, which represents most of Mount View employees, said he has a proposal that he will present to Lewis today 6/9that could save enough money to persuade lawmakers to continue running the facility.

The vote was along partisan lines, with Legislators Malcolm Needler, R-North Tonawanda, John Syracuse, R-Newfane, Rebecca Cuddahee, D-Niagara Falls and Danny Sklarski, D-Town of Niagara, all majority caucus members, voting to sell, while Legislators William Davignon, D-North Tonawanda, Dennis Virtuoso, D-Niagara Falls, and Renae Kimble, D-Niagara Falls, voting against the resolution.
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