Scene Magazine on Brian Essi, Hospital

[Meg Ostrowski]

Let me start by saying that I am a fan of Mr. Essi’s hard work but NOT his drama. I have met him and talked with him by phone. He is passionately obsessed about getting to the bottom of things. He may be a legal and intellectual threat but I do not think he is a physical threat.

I have also met and/or worked with several of the residents whose names appear in this police report. They have all been very kind to me. I don’t doubt that they felt threatened by Brian’s comments but it surprises me that they cited the portion of his “editorial” post that they did because it suggests that they felt their reputations were being threatened, not their safety. However, I heard from a third party that Brian approached at least one of the complainants demanding answers at the Kucinich press conference about ten days before his post. The combination may be what pushed them to participate in the report. (Heck, my SKINDELL and SAVE LAKEWOOD HOSPITAL yard signs were singled out and vandalized the day my picture appeared on cleveland.com and the Sun Post-Herald for having participated in a peaceful rally outside City Hall and I considered reporting it.)

Let’s face it, I bet most of us have had doubts about our position on the hospital issue at one time or another and I suspect that some on the BUILD LAKEWOOD side had to consider what Brian was saying and may have weighed on their conscience. It is reasonable to assume that some lives will be lost and others negatively impacted by the closing of our hospital. When they are just statistics, it may be hard for some to justify the challenges of keeping it open. If they were loved ones, friends or neighbors they might find a way to make it work.

[Meg Ostrowski]

All,

Attached is a copy of the police report. I requested it and they were prompt at getting back to me. It is public record. I blacked out people's personal information out of respect for them (addresses, phone numbers, etc.).

The internet has amplified public records in a way that can be both helpful and hurtful. In this case, I see no benefit in sharing but chose to comment above since it is now up for discussion. Out of respect for everyone involved, I would not have posted it here.

Go easy on me Lori, I have avoided posting recently because of comments by you and others but hope by doing so we can get back to discussing what matters.

[Lori Allen _]

Hi Meg,

Thanks for jumping in. Glad to see you back on the Deck.

The original police report I received had all of the complainants personal information on it(addresses, personal telephone numbers, birthdates, etc.). Like I said earlier, I blacked out this information out of respect for the complainants, whether I agree with them or not. I would not want all of my information on the internet if I filed a police report, so I showed these individuals the same courtesy. I don't know if I like all of this information being public record either. In some states, it isn't. However, the law in this state is the law.

In my opinion, the complainants have no case. If they want to have it on record that it their right. What Mr. Essi wrote appears to fall under freedom of speech, his 1st Amendment rights.

FWIW.

Thanks again, Meg, for jumping in.

[Brian Essi]

Hi Meg,

I respect your opinions and I agree with your observations.

However, whomever the third party is you mention concerning the rally is mistaken.

As soon as Mr. Kucinich was through with his press conference and question and answer, three woman who were much older than I and wearing BL shirts came very close to me and began chanting "Essi's a liar, Essi's a liar". They were accompanied by Joel Egerston who is a member at the church where I am also a member. As a lawyer for over 30 years I have been baited by many before in close physical proximity. My response was to say, "Hello Joel" and shook his hand. I then asked Joel and the ladies (who were not acting very ladylike) a question which they and Joel ignored. The ladies returned to their chants. For his part Joel said the hospital pays no taxes and when I said it paid $2 million in taxes and rent and $7million in charity, Joel shook his head in disbelief while the ladies again continued their child like chants.

So it was this small crowd of older ladies and Joel who approached me--not the other way around. Also, I made no demand for answers, I simply asked a question that was ignored and I did not repeat it.

My 81 year old mother was witness to this and knew the name of one of these ladies-- my mother found the ladies' conduct crowding near me to be most curious.

So Meg, thank you for reminding me of this event. It occurs to me that these accusers had absolutely no fear of me and were not threatened by me in any way.

Would older ladies crowd a younger man and taunt him if they somehow felt threatened by him?

[Dan Alaimo]

From 2,200 miles away this starts to look amusing - I know it is deadly serious. But it's good to be away from it for a couple of days.

Anybody taking notes? It's going to be a good movie.

[Bridget Conant]

Dan

Enjoy the respite and the scenery!


Important to note the journalist's comments from the article:

Essi’s point, which he’s driven home plenty of times before via rigorous fact-checking and context, is that by doing away with a functioning emergency department, EMS transport times to places like Fairview Hospital will inevitably rise (this is true, according to EMS personnel) and, ipso facto, more lives will be lost in the process (this is inevitable, and backed up by a 2014 study out of the University of California San Francisco).

[Jim O'Bryan]

More to Brian's point, 4 of the people that filed the report have said to me personally, and posted on FB "they were not really afraid of Brian Essi."

One side is begging for facts, the other sides is blowing smoke erecting mirrors and dreaming big of?

.

[Dan Alaimo]

Back in town and read the print version of the article, and noted they added an overline to the headline - "Amateur Hour", which refers to nearly all the escapades detailed there, but on this reading I picked up on this line:
"It’s just more dumb stuff from the F5 tornado of dumb that is the mishandled Lakewood Hospital fiasco. The city deserves better — specifically from its bumbling council, in whose hands the decision rests entirely."
The terrible divisiveness, and the very bad hospital deal, could have been avoided by our elected leaders. It would have meant compromise, but I have been informed by those who know him well that Mike Summers does not do compromise. But we didn't have to be where we are now. That is, again Lakewood is a laughing stock, as in the "no fun" signs on the Fourth of July, the insanely confusing signs on Clifton, the unexplainable basketball mess at Kauffman, the Grace-Drug Mart imbroglio, the traffic patterns on Detroit, and much else - all on Summers' watch. While Mike Summers has done a pretty good job as a city manager, he has done a poor one as mayor. Our city and it's image have suffered greatly. I expect much better from Mayor Skindell, and a new Council.

[Bridget Conant]

Dan

Almost forgot about the neighbor at Kauffman Park who has been documented threatening people using the courts, including children. The mayor even acknowledged the reason he closed the court was the potential danger from a "credible concern." http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/cu ... s/9632447/

Yet instead of dealing with this menacing neighbor, he closed the courts.

I guess he has to keep the police on the ready for really serious threats - like editorials.

[marklingm]

Dan

Almost forgot about the neighbor at Kauffman Park who has been documented threatening people using the courts, including children. The mayor even acknowledged the reason he closed the court was the potential danger from a "credible concern." http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/cu ... s/9632447/

Yet instead of dealing with this menacing neighbor, he closed the courts.

I guess he has to keep the police on the ready for really serious threats - like editorials.

Bridget ...





Matt

[Dan Alaimo]

Dan

Almost forgot about the neighbor at Kauffman Park who has been documented threatening people using the courts, including children. The mayor even acknowledged the reason he closed the court was the potential danger from a "credible concern." http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/cu ... s/9632447/

Yet instead of dealing with this menacing neighbor, he closed the courts.

I guess he has to keep the police on the ready for really serious threats - like editorials.

I was just trying to do a quick laundry list. When it comes to the Kauffman basketball issue, I've always wondered why he didn't just call the cops on the guy - a long-term acquaintance of his, by the way. But more importantly, he tried to "negotiate" another location in the park for the courts - negotiate means he had an idea he wouldn't budge from - and became incensed when we told him there was no good place in the park for hoops besides the enclosed courts. He made no further attempt to negotiate leading me to the conclusion that he has poor negotiating skills, as well as a hair-trigger temper with his constituents. After all, if he couldn't negotiate a basketball hoop with a neighborhood group, how could he negotiate a hospital deal with one of the top health care organizations in the world?

[marklingm]

Dan

Almost forgot about the neighbor at Kauffman Park who has been documented threatening people using the courts, including children. The mayor even acknowledged the reason he closed the court was the potential danger from a "credible concern." http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/cu ... s/9632447/

Yet instead of dealing with this menacing neighbor, he closed the courts.

I guess he has to keep the police on the ready for really serious threats - like editorials.

I was just trying to do a quick laundry list. When it comes to the Kauffman basketball issue, I've always wondered why he didn't just call the cops on the guy - a long-term acquaintance of his, by the way. But more importantly, he tried to "negotiate" another location in the park for the courts - negotiate means he had an idea he wouldn't budge from - and became incensed when we told him there was no good place in the park for hoops besides the enclosed courts. He made no further attempt to negotiate leading me to the conclusion that he has poor negotiating skills, as well as a hair-trigger temper with his constituents. After all, if he couldn't negotiate a basketball hoop with a neighborhood group, how could he negotiate a hospital deal with one of the top health care organizations in the world?

Well said!





Thank you, Dan and Bridget.

Matt

[Brian Essi]

Speaking of negotiation skills. It seems Mr. Clean is a good negotiator and has the proven ability to compromise. As I read the letters Summers refused to compromise from his original positiion because he feared a debate.

Mr. Clean knew when to walk away from a bad deal.

Summers took a bad deal with CCF and emotionally clings to it.