Is it time to throw in the towel?

[Amy Martin]

Okay, I hate to be "Debbie Downer" here, but isn't it time we start to face the reality that we are not able to save the Hospital? Not only were the election results clear (Summers re-elected; referendum on the Hospital voted down) but now we have the entirety of our City Council ready to vote affirmative on the Clinic Deal. It seems that the lawsuit is going nowhere, either. So, I'm beginning to think that we should all just bend over and "take it". I really don't see how this impending deal can be broken.

Maybe we should now put our focus on not permitting a tax sucking, money losing rec center to be built on the Hospital site. Our efforts on the Hospital seem to be a waste of time to me.

I'm sure I'll hear a lot of dissension on this, but I really think it's time we woke up and smelled the coffee. The hospital is GONE.

[tom monahan]

Amy:

This is not over. The sneaky way this was handled is a hallmark of how this city has worked over the years. How appropriate that it was on the 74th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.! Council members--all seven--are going along with this proposal The roll out of this super agreement was done again behind locked doors. Three Lakewood Police officers stood guard outside the council conference to block citizens from hearing what was being said.
That was a stark comparison to Dennis Kucinich's public press conference where the boorish Tom Bullock tried to disrupt it with his inane rants. So Bullock can only babble and can't stand public confrontation, I guess. Later,a t the Council meeting another police officer was stationed along with the Police Chief. We have attended every council of the whole and council meeting since January and I don't remember needing a police officer there for crowd control.So if this if such a good deal why did Summers, lame-duck Madigan and Bullock feel threatened enough to need police protection? As soon as these council people vote on Dec. 21st, we are out on the streets with petitions to put it in the ballot for the final say by the public.
Remembering Pearl Harbor, the Japanese commander said after the sneak attack the he was concerned about awakening a sleeping tiger. That's what happened last night so stay tuned for more action.

[Lori Allen _]

Tom,
You are absolutely right. There will be plenty of us with you.

[Dan Alaimo]

It's not time to throw in the towel, but to realize the significant strategic public relations strengths of the City/LHA/CCF. Removing myself from all I have learned about the deal, I came away from last night's news with two numbers sticking in my my mind: the hospital losing $1 million a year; and the Clinic "giving" Lakewood a $34 million medical center. That's what I believe most people who don't know better took away from it. That is the result of a highly strategic and well-orchestrated P.R. effort, probably coming from top professionals paid by the Clinic.

As the proprietor of this discussion board has written often: we are being "played". Big time.

For example, I don't think the Mayor decided on his own to not talk about the hospital during the campaign. That counter-intuitive advice came from someone else, and it worked. Also the decision to hold the announcement until right before the Council meeting last night, and many other instances.

SLH will always be at a funding disadvantage, but that doesn't mean they can't get more professional advice on strategy and messaging for the referendum from those who might volunteer their time. They've done well so far with available resources - and money isn't everything. But they need more firepower on their side to sway public opinion.

[Amy Dilzell]

Amy, Tom is right....it isn't over yet. Unlike council, we know AND dislike what the Clinic has done. The Clinic breaks deals-LHA/CCF decanted Lakewood Hospital in violation of contracts. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior and we have a couple of weeks to voice this concern to council....then the referendum. Stay strong!!

[Amy Martin]

I'd like to agree with you but I believe that this is a losing battle. I admire those of you who are faithful to the cause but believe that you are wasting your time. We have to accept this and move on from here. Reorganize and focus on the redevelopment and what we can do to ensure that whatever is done is in the best interest of our city.

[Pam Wetula]

I'd like to agree with you but I believe that this is a losing battle. I admire those of you who are faithful to the cause but believe that you are wasting your time. We have to accept this and move on from here. Reorganize and focus on the redevelopment and what we can do to ensure that whatever is done is in the best interest of our city.

Amy,

It is NOT time to throw in the towel. Just because something is difficult, does not mean you do not stay the course. We are NOT wasting our time in fighting CORPORATE GREED and the promotion of URBAN SPRAWL. We are the right side, the moral side that is in support of the GREATER GOOD.

We saw what urban sprawl did to Cleveland in the 50's- 60's 70's. Now Cleveland Clinic Foundation, with the help of Lakewood's elected officials, is working to kill the inner ring suburbs. First East Cleveland 's Huron Hospital, now Lakewood..NEXT??? Euclid Hospital...Marymount..even Lutheran. In 2012, CCF purchased 47 acres at the I90 & 615 exchange in Mentor, OH and had it zoned by Mentor for medical use. They have begun clearing that land. Please look at the BIG picture.

You need to read the Agreement that the Council has approved. Full of holes and full of ambiguity. Intentionally giving CCF the best options, including NOT paying the sums of money addressed in the Key Highlights of the still MIA Master agreement. Intentionally preventing other healthcare providers from providing full service to Lakewood's citizens. Intentionally giving CCF more power over Lakewood's "Community Health Foundation" Funds than the City Lakewood.

That $24.4 million that is to go into the "Community Foundation" ? A measly $200,000 on or before March 31, 2016, $7.6 Million at the opening of the Medical Office building est opening June, 2016. THEN NO $ until SECOND ANNIVERSARY of the MOB ($4.3 million). NOTHING ON THE 3rd ANNIVERSARY. FOURTH ANNIVERSAY ($4.1 million), NOTHING ON THE 5th ANNIVERSARY, SIXTH ANNIVERSARY ($4.1). NOTHING ON THE SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY. EIGHTH ANNIVERSAY ($4.1 million).

"The financial terms predicated upon a timely cessation of inpatient operations at the Lakewood Hospital. ..... " Read the Highlights for the complete ugly details. This is the worst contract I have ever seen. I staunchly believe that CCF will find some way to get out of paying most of these funds to Lakewood in the future. They will not honor this Master Agreement any more than they honored the Definitive Agreement they had with LHA.

We have an obligation to ourselves and fellow Lakewood residents, especially the poorer, older or underserved citizens that rely on Lakewood Hospital.

We owe it to NEO to stem the URBAN SPRAWL that threatens our region. The inner ring suburbs have worked too hard to have a GREEDY Cleveland Clinic Foundation STEAL OUR FUTURE.

Lakewood Hospital 14% of Lakewood's payroll. 14 PERCENT! On top of providing top notch health care for 100 years + before CCF started dismantling her.

No Amy, this is NOT the time to throw in the towel. It is a time to regroup and collectively fight CCF and continue to ask our Council persons to join that fight. If they will not, AND we lose, then Lakewood's demise as a strong inner ring suburb is truly on their heads.



pam

[cameron karslake]

Thanks for that Pam. I wanted to share what I heard at the Pre-trial Conference concerning the taxpayer lawsuit today.

First of all:
Motion for stay of discovery by Cleveland Clinic, DENIED. Discovery can and will continue, Mayor Summers will be deposed soon.

No ruling on motion to dismiss the lawsuit outright today. Judge O'Donnell did not feel he could make that ruling yet (possibly sometime in January) but now the CCF, Summers, LHA etc. cannot hide behind the motion to dismiss to deny the plaintiffs need for discovery.

The real problem is that the judge knows he cannot, as of yet, put a stop to the proceedings of the CCF, LHA, Summers and Council.

The judge did not seem to have an issue as to whether or not the plaintiffs have the standing to bring the lawsuit in the first place, which is why there is to be another Pre-trial conference in the future.

I am no legal expert and there are plenty here that will be able to explain what went on better than I so, stay tuned.