December 7 2015 Press Conference

[Kate McCarthy]

Today I happened to stumble upon the December 7, 2015 press conference video which I had never seen before. First, my opinion of everyone in that room besides the press is greatly diminished. To go along with shutting out constituents in favor of an orchestrated press conference is shameful.

Then around the 22 minute mark I heard an interesting tidbit from Bullock. In response to a reporter’s question around whether council tried to save the hospital, Bullock responded “There was no concrete proposal to do so and this body tried very hard to solicit and invite and resurrect proposals for an inpatient facility to retain Lakewood Hospital.” Did I miss something? I’ve been told by many supporters of council’s decision that council had no choice but to go with this deal, that the CCF proposal was all council was given to consider.

[Brian Essi]

Ms. McCarthy,

I'm glad you dug up this oldie but goodie.

The quote you point to by Bullock is an outright lie in several respects. There was a concrete proposal by Metro. Bullock voted on LHA to favor CCF and ignore Metro to help his "political" career.



I also know this is a lie about the alleged "soliciting" part because of Kevin Butler's responses and non responses to public records requests. There was never any effort by council to "solicit" any bids. This was another Bullock lie to hide his complicity in the bid steering.

More on the records requests later......

[Corey Rossen]

In the legal world...how does anyone gain factual information from a non- response? Wouldn't that be considered "here say?" (Notice my attempt at legal jargon)

[Brian Essi]

"If it ain't in black and white, it ain't right"

By way of example, the fact that Butler failed to produce any public records of RFP's issued by the city concerning hospital assets establishes that Bullock's claim is false.

It is much like Butler's failure to produce ANY records concerning Summers' claim of $78M of alleged wind down expenses --coupled with Summers', Butler's and City Council's non responses when asked to explain those expenses and their collective failure to be able to articulate ANY of those expenses. The non responses establish that the $78M was a fabrication.

Of course, the suggestion that a rational business person would elect to spend $78M to wind down a going concern they could sell and net $70M would also tend to prove Summers' $78M was not real.

[Corey Rossen]

I thought the legal world required proof, not lack of proof to prove guilt?

By way of example...During season 10, episode 194 of "Night Court" prosecutor Dan Fielding accused a man of a criminal act because he was not home during the time of the accused crime. He did not prove the crime, just the fact that the man was not home at that time. Therefore, by his lack of being home at the time of the crime he was in fact guilty of committing the accused crime.

The above absurdity is what the correlation sounds like to me in regards to the non-response "guilty" argument. I'm pretty sure the legal system is more sound than that. At least, I would hope so.

I heard that the episode of Night Court was found to be so far from the way the legal system works that they cancelled the series and never aired the episode.

[cameron karslake]

I did see that farce of a press conference at the time. I am amazed how thick Bullock lays it on, 3 layers of BS.

"...this body tried very hard to solicit and invite and resurrect proposals..."

The reality is "...this body tried very hard to ignore and avoid and bury proposals..."

It's gotten to a point where no one can believe a word Bullock says.

[Brian Essi]

Facts are facts--no reason to run from them unless you fear the truth.

[Corey Rossen]

Facts are facts--no reason to run from them unless you fear the truth.

That is true. I just don't understand the stance that a non-response, in this case or any, equals guilty as you have assessed. That mentality puts aside the entire legal system and relies solely on bias and opinion.

[Lori Allen _]

My husband's cousin is a directing physician with Summa. At our family reunion this year, she informed me that Summa also put in an offer on Lakewood Hospital and was ignored. I don't believe there ever was any intention of doing it the legal way, as it should have been, by open bid. It appears we have some corruption occurring at city hall. As far as Butler is concerned, he should resign. I am beginning to think that all council members should resign as it appears the only thing they do is sit on their rears twice a month and say "aye" to Lord Lakewood. Apparently, they lack the ability to think for themselves!

[Kate McCarthy]

Facts are facts--no reason to run from them unless you fear the truth.

That is true. I just don't understand the stance that a non-response, in this case or any, equals guilty as you have assessed. That mentality puts aside the entire legal system and relies solely on bias and opinion.

If there was no response to a public records request for a RFP and given the legal obligation to provide that information, I would assume no RFP regarding the hospital exists. I wonder how all the people in that room were more than willing to go along with Bullock's claims. The only thing I have heard is that the only proposal council was given to consider was to negotiate with CCF to close the hospital.

I would love to see evidence to the contrary but there was no public deliberation. After watching this video, unless evidence of a pursuit to find ways to keep the hospital open surface, every council person in that room is complicit by their silence. Bullock made a claim in their presence. Each council person has an independent voice. I keep feeling they made an oath to each other that superseded their oath to serve and have seen no evidence to prove me wrong.

Please prove me wrong. Really. I hate all of this.

[Corey Rossen]

I do not know how public record requests work or what is expected of them. Is there a timeframe that they must be responded in? Do they have to acknowledge if there is no answer (for either bad questioning or lack of an answer)? Do they have to give a reason for answering or not answering (ex: bad questioning or lack of answer)?

[Kate McCarthy]

I do not know the specific law but my training in another government capacity required such responses for public records that don't have personal information be responded to immediately. These are our records. We the people are the government. To have a request for a simple RFP not fulfilled after a short period of time is unreasonable, unless that RFP does not exist, which I would think should be acknowledged. It seems these request for information will be litigated. If you have to prove you own your house, not showing proof would make you vulnerable to losing your house. If you can't come up with the title, you have no proof that you own your home. If the city cannot give proof that they sought other options for the hospital, why should we give them any title to that statement?

[Brian Essi]

I have to agree with Corey that he does not understand and he does not know about such things.

[T Peppard]

If there was no response to a public records request for a RFP and given the legal obligation to provide that information, I would assume no RFP regarding the hospital exists. I wonder how all the people in that room were more than willing to go along with Bullock's claims.

Sadly, the only term that comes to mind is "sheeple."

[Corey Rossen]

I have to agree with Corey that he does not understand and he does not know about such things.

Correct, and that is why I asked. Also, how many requests have been made to the City (I think I saw the number 196 by Essi alone on one posted email account) in total in this timeframe? How many hours is spent finding each answer, good or bad question? How many total hours spent chasing answers for the total amount of questions in the timeframe? How much has it cost me and the citizens in wages to the people finding the answers? I think some of the answer I don't want to know - such as how much has it cost me to have the City chase bad questions, vague questions or questions without answers and who asked those questions.