Lakewoodites Don't Be Fooled

[Jim O'Bryan]

There are two major forces in Lakewood that make ripples throughout the city. They are not Republican and Democrat, though they are, they are not rich and poor, but they are, they are not hospital or no hospital, though they are. Much like the moons and the tides, it is the never ending friction between commercial economic development, and residents. The best place to raise a family, to the best place to entertain a family. Selling off, whittling off slivers in residential neighborhoods, to feed their constant need for... maybe this time.

We saw it in the WestEnd Debacle, an attempt to move out 1,500 residents for a strip mall. The theory was, this new mall would help keep our taxes low. Of course like elsewhere, a small group of people took the original study, changed it, changed the footprint and started the lies and BS to win at all costs.

The idea of the desperate need to develop moved to the business district, no wait, let's rename it "DowntowN" lets get some city money, form a a couple groups, of basically the same people, and have them "discover what is best to develop" Bunts to Arthur, after all there was a new library at one side, and a brand new Urban Fitness Gold Gym and "something like Whole Foods" underneath it. As with so many of their promises, Whole Foods and Urban whatever became Get Go. The centerpiece national headquarters of 5-Guys never was, and it also closed, along with their chain anchor Quaker State. During it all, plans we hatched and flown, and the same people that were involved in the WestEnd Debacle told us through their non-profit LakewoodAlive version 1 that we had to do all we could to save the hospital, and convinced us to pour millions into LHF, LHA, and the hospital, while many of the same people were actively closing it down, I believe illegally if not improperly.

Think back, I'm digging up the stories from the very members of Lakewood Voters for Progress, asking us to come to events that drained our pockets into LHF, and LHA, two pools of money they would take when the hospital closed.

So here we are, at in the middle of another nasty civil war, the hallmarks of their work, because they scheme for themselves, and their dreams, while trying to convince others that know better, it is for the common good. Screw the 1,500 people, screw the 51,000 Lakewoodites, we alone know what is best for Lakewood, we discuss it daily over cocktails at parties. Trust us.

This is not about healthcare in Lakewood, it is not an honest look at Lakewood's possibilities. This is a small handful of desperate 70, 60 and 50 year-olds desperately trying to develop something-- anything-- before they check out. If you talk to any one of them one on one, you can see the desperation in their eyes. Nearly 30 years ago they dreamed of Lakewood being Crocker Park, and have never given up on the dream, which for most of us is a nightmare. They get young people to buy in very easily, because of lack of critical thought. Let's give them bike sharrows for $30,000, they will back us on a hospital where we get $80,000,000 the total share of money they control, raised for Lakewood Hospital from the public.

2016-- the war over the hospital is an illusion.

It is the same war as always, the same war outlined time and again in "Slaughter of Cities."

Some of us have seen this coming for a long long time, and we created the Deck to talk about it.

Stay tuned for a series of facts based on history, so that you can better understand the players, who once again ask for your trust, while not trusting you with FACTS.

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[cameron karslake]

Jim,

You are correct. This whole debacle is nothing more than a fantastic real estate deal for Cleveland Clinic, the developer du jour, and some of the mayor's friends down the road (of course).

Unfortunately for them, it's an incredibly bad deal for everyone else in the city. Those who have done their homework are spreading the word about what a mess you've made, privatizing PUBLIC ASSETS for pennies on the dollar.

Hey CITY HALL, the citizens are wise to your methods and WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE!

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim,

You are correct. This whole debacle is nothing more than a fantastic real estate deal for Cleveland Clinic, the developer du jour, and some of the mayor's friends down the road (of course).

Unfortunately for them, it's an incredibly bad deal for everyone else in the city. Those who have done their homework are spreading the word about what a mess you've made, privatizing PUBLIC ASSETS for pennies on the dollar.

Hey CITY HALL, the citizens are wise to your methods and WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE!

Cameron

The Cleveland Clinic is the red herring. It's easy to hate the Clinic and blame them. All they did was take $75 million offered to them instead of paying us $10 million. We would all take that deal.

No, this is about the Foundation money, staying in the hands of many of the Lakewood architects of the debacle, and the space left over!!!! They will get to develop it finally, something, anything.

One of the many reasons Lakewood Voters for Progress are rushing off into a bad deal with no visible outcome. They get to build!!!

Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Let's be honest for a second. The group that brought us, the WestEnd and DowntowN have really done very little, it is a failure. We lost the two largest employers and businesses in the footprint.

After they convinced us to spend tens of millions to keep the hospital going.

Nope like squirrels knowing the winter is coming their filled their checks with money collected to keep the hospital running, killed it and keeping the cash.

I go back to fraud, money laundering, RICO, etc.

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[Kevin D Young]

...Looking forward to more of the history Jim. To be sure, the actions of the handful of people behind this and other projects must be stopped. We need to draw a line and make this their final stand. It's OUR city, all 51,000 of ours together, not theirs.

[stephen davis]

They get young people to buy in very easily, because of lack of critical thought.

Jim,

I'm not buying that young people lack critical thought.

It is easier to think critically, at any age, if you have experience, context, and facts.

President Lyndon Johnson (Old guy who was likely a critical thinker.) made some very bad decisions relative to the war in Viet Nam. His trusted advisors, Robert McNamara (Secretary of Defense) and General Westmoreland, lied to him regularly. His bad decisions were made with what he considered the best information available.

We are all being marketed to (Lied to?) daily. Buy this. Think this. Do this. Don't do that. Who of us has a chance of making the best choices, especially if we lack honest information and context?

Carry on.


Steve

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[cmager]

The Cleveland Clinic is the red herring. It's easy to hate the Clinic and blame them. All they did was take $75 million offered to them instead of paying us $10 million. We would all take that deal.

I go back to fraud, money laundering, RICO, etc..

Nonsense! The Clinic doesn't get a pass on this. If somebody burglarized your neighbor, and offered to you their nice TV that you always coveted, are you going to take the TV? This is what you say it's A-OK for the Clinic to do? That there is one juicy rationalization, and not a good one.

I do agree with your comment re/ fraud, money laundering, and RICO...as long as that potentially covers city officials, trustees, and corporatists.

[Jim O'Bryan]

They get young people to buy in very easily, because of lack of critical thought.

Jim,

I'm not buying that young people lack critical thought.

It is easier to think critically, at any age, if you have experience, context, and facts.

President Lyndon Johnson (Old guy who was likely a critical thinker.) made some very bad decisions relative to the war in Viet Nam. His trusted advisors, Robert McNamara (Secretary of Defense) and General Westmoreland, lied to him regularly. His bad decisions were made with what he considered the best information available.

We are all being marketed to (Lied to?) daily. Buy this. Think this. Do this. Don't do that. Who of us has a chance of making the best choices, especially if we lack honest information and context?

Carry on.


Steve

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I paint with a broad brush, but I know you will agree with this.

Historical perspective in this come from age and awareness.

The players have a long and checkered history in this city. They have proven time and again, when things are done in the light of day, they work. The Libray
When they get sneaky, it becomes a debacle nightmare. WestEnd Lakewood Hospital.

For an elected official to support the hiding of public documents, blows my mind. When they sign onto a slate of intimidation, silence and untruth, its disgusting.

I think we are quickly entering a place we might need to recall 8/10ths of the elected officials come January 14th. There might be no other way to finally get the facts in this and other things.

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[Lori Allen _]

I don't feel that the young people are at fault. My son, who is in college, has been very involved with the hospital issues. He has also done tons of research. We have spoken with his friends and other young folks that we see on the street, in stores, etc. They are not happy once they find out what our city leaders appear to have done to our hospital as well as putting the health and lives of Lakewood citizens in jeopardy.

The only fault I put on CCF is the fact that it appears some dirty rotten scoundrels decided to go along with the deal. I believe Lord Lakewood and Company wanted this deal and pushed it right through. If Lord did not want this deal, I believe he could have filed a law suit for breach of contract. I believe in time, we will find out what their rewards were. I hope it was worth it, seeing as it appears they put themselves and their wants above those of the citizens of Lakewood.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I don't feel that the young people are at fault. My son, who is in college, has been very involved with the hospital issues. He has also done tons of research. We have spoken with his friends and other young folks that we see on the street, in stores, etc. They are not happy once they find out what our city leaders appear to have done to our hospital as well as putting the health and lives of Lakewood citizens in jeopardy.

The only fault I put on CCF is the fact that it appears some dirty rotten scoundrels decided to go along with the deal. I believe Lord Lakewood and Company wanted this deal and pushed it right through. If Lord did not want this deal, I believe he could have filed a law suit for breach of contract. I believe in time, we will find out what their rewards were. I hope it was worth it, seeing as it appears they put themselves and their wants above those of the citizens of Lakewood.

Lori

I agree, I do not mean all young people.

I also agree with you, that it was LHA, LHF, and City Council that truly let down everyone in the city with the scheme. The lying and cover up that follows is inexcusable.

If you remember it started with, "The Hospital is not closing." The biggest lie ever told the Lakewood public. They knew it was a lie. I still have no idea why.

It was like watching your college educated son with a face covered in chocolate tell you he had no chocolates.

It was the kind of lying where a person lies just to lie. Nuts!

.

[Lori Allen _]

Jim, Thanks for the laugh. I wonder if the citizens of Lakewood realize that in 2017 we will be asked to pass a school levy because the cost of building the schools went over budget. How long can city hall hold out before asking us for an increase in Lakewood city income taxes? Since Summers and Council let the clinic walk without paying for the remainder of the lease money, that is a loss of 1.1 million dollars a year for 10 years. We have lost payroll taxes from approximately 1500 jobs. When I drive around Lakewood, everyday there are more businesses closing or moving to another city. My guess, they will be asking for more money soon. Remember during the election when Summers said that if the hospital remained open, it would mean a raise in Lakewood's taxes. I believe that the opposite is proven to be true. I believe the mayor lied and he has known all along it was a lie.

[Kate McCarthy]

For an elected official to support the hiding of public documents, blows my mind. When they sign onto a slate of intimidation, silence and untruth, its disgusting.

I think we are quickly entering a place we might need to recall 8/10ths of the elected officials come January 14th. There might be no other way to finally get the facts in this and other things.

.

I am afraid you might be right given the number of elected officials who participated in this presser, while putting the police between them and their constituents. Still shameful, and to my mind, an egregious shirking of their sworn duty to serve.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Kate

"It's always the cover-up" It's cliche it so true.

As we are also talking about critical thought, age, historic perspective, and attitudes.

When has city officials fighting to keep thousands of documents secret through two elections, was a good ending for the residents? It too is cliche.

When you throw in losing millions while others get acquire millions, how many times have we seen this movie?

There has to be something really evil in those documents, think about it.

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[jackie f taylor]

As if this has anything to do with the topic? In June, I felt ill, I called a cab, take me to Lakewood Hospital, EMERGENCY. From Madison to Lakewood Hospital, $10.00. He wanted the money up front, I must have really looked bad. Lakewood then, transported me to Fairview General via Martin's Ambulance Service, $1600.00. Course, they may have saved my life? But Martine's? I thought I was headed for the morgue.

[Lori Allen _]

I believe that Summers and Council really don't give a damn about what happens to the citizens of Lakewood, you know, we the tax payers, who pay their salaries. It appears that they are also destroying our city, one property at a time. Why worry? I believe that one of their best friends, Armond Budish, will put them all on the county payroll. I assume that they will work at doing the same things as they have done for us, absolutely nothing!