Letter to the editor: $5 million grant to Excela wrong

Regarding the article “Westmoreland County opens up second round of covid-relief grants” (Nov. 13, TribLIVE): $5 million to a huge company is wrong. The first problem is calling a company (Excela) that has several executives making well over six-figure salaries a nonprofit. If I thought for a second this money would be spent on PPE and the courageous health care workers who have done a wonderful job and continue to do so, I could understand the grant. In the real world, it doesn’t work that way.

Thank you, Commissioner Gina Cerilli, for being the voice of reason. How does this happen outside the application process? How is this huge grant a surprise? How was the $5 million surprise grant figure arrived at?

There should be more checks and balances before large sums of money are doled out to big businesses while small businesses are left to wither and die.

Vince Poteste

Southwest Greensburg