OK This Time, Question For SLH People

[Jim O'Bryan]

You own a second home worth $350,000.

You hire a management company to run it.

While you are on vacation, the management company sells it for $19,000, to the renter,

Who is at fault?

You for going on vacation and trusting the management company?

The renter that jumped on the good deal?

The management company?

The people that convinced the management company to break an agreement and take the $19,000 to vegas for a chance to win big?

.

[Bridget Conant]

WAIT!

You have to add the rest: after you realize your house was stolen, you are assured that it is really "GOOD NEWS!"

You are supposed to smile and go along with the deal, and assume it was done for your own good. You must continue to say "what nice people" those managers were for selling your property without your consent and for a loss, because, I mean, they are REALLY NICE, and they know more than you do, although they won't tell you what is is they know that you do not.

Just keep repeating "ITS GOOD NEWS!" They are NICE people!

[Jim O'Bryan]

WAIT!

You have to add the rest: after you realize your house was stolen, you are assured that it is really "GOOD NEWS!"

You are supposed to smile and go along with the deal, and assume it was done for your own good. You must continue to say "what nice people" those managers were for selling your property without your consent and for a loss, because, I mean, they are REALLY NICE, and they know more than you do, although they won't tell you what is is they know that you do not.

Just keep repeating "ITS GOOD NEWS!" They are NICE people!

Bridget

I disagree. That is where we are at now. That's ridiculous. It is insane. It make rubes and fools of us all. Save? Build?

We got paperwork to go over.

We need to figure out how this happened while we were away.

But we shouldn't create false thieves or idols.

We need, and because of ownership are legally entitled to, FACTS and an investigation.

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[mjkuhns]

I would say that the one word "agreement" is 9/10 of the issue. What was the agreement, what did it require, were those requirements met? Personally I would say that the agreement in this case has been dishonored, on which basis fault should lie with the people who dishonored it. Others, as we know, disagree. Investigation of this is taking place, and will deliver a conclusion at some point. (But the political process and the justice system move at a much different pace, and so it is unfortunately not practical to say "let's just wait for a formal investigation to play out" given that the worthies at city hall have firmly declined to do so.)

That said, I would also say that some fault lies with the people who made the agreement in 1996, which seems disastrously naive. In Jim's metaphor, it essentially gave the renter authority over nearly all of the management company's hiring decisions. In theory, regardless of its composition the management company still had responsibilities to our metaphorical absentee owner. But in practice, I think we can safely say that the management company's sympathy with the renter has proved far more influential.

(I would also add, as a communications and design professional, that branding has been badly mishandled as well from the perspective of helping or hindering oversight. I feel confident that once signs went up telling the public that Lakewood Hospital was part of the Cleveland Clinic, it materially reduced the sense of investment by the general public. We still owned the hospital in fact, but when people see the hospital itself effectively saying otherwise, that has an impact.)

[Bill Call]

Good analogy. The Mayor and Council like to ignore the fact that all of the Hospitals assets belonged to the City.

Have you seen the latest Community bulletin, Issue No. 5?

Some Highlights:

CITY OF LAKEWOOD

"will receive:

$19.7 million in cash including $7 million for demolition, $8.2 million for Columbia Road, $2.8 million in lease payments through June 2018 and $1.7 million in land sales to the Cleveland Clinic."

In 2014 the Hospital had $53.4 million in cash and investments. So we get to keep $19.7 million of our own money if we agree to pay the demolition costs. We get $8.2 million for Columbia Road even though it was appraised at $15 million and we had an offer for almost $10 million. We get $2.8 million in lease payments even though the Clinic is obligated to pay $10 million in lease payments AND THEN the Clinic buys a piece of land for $1.7 million as long as the City agrees to pay for all costs related to making the land ready for construction and as long as the City agrees to dismantle a perfectly good parking garage so the CITY can pay for the construction of a new parking garage.

What a deal! What happened to the other $35 million?

From the financial statements:

"At the end of the lease term, the real and personal property and all of the monies, accounts and inventories then held by the Hospital will be returned to the City"

That includes the Cities $33.5 million interest in the Lakewood Hospital Foundation. Why no mention of that in the Community Bulletin?

That also includes property, plant and equipment valued at $42 million.

So... out of all that we get to keep $19.7 million as long as we grant the Clinic a healthcare monopoly and as long as the City pays for all demolition costs and all the costs associated with the Clinics decanting plan.

Good grief.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Good analogy.

So... out of all that we get to keep $19.7 million as long as we grant the Clinic a healthcare monopoly and as long as the City pays for all demolition costs and all the costs associated with the Clinics decanting plan.

Good grief.

Bill

You invest. You own property.

If you had to pay out a minimum of $10 mill over ten years, OR get a new building, a monopoly, and property on Columbia, and $35 million would you take it?

From the very first story in the Observer, since day one. We have correctly pointed out, "Anything coming back to the city, started as ours in the first place."

We get nothing new.

Here is another good analogy used from day one.

Governor Chris Christie went under federal investigation for moving 24 orange cones on the George Washington Bridge.

What if...

He sold the publicly owned and built bridge in a back room deal for 1/20th the price? Then channeled that money to a friend's yet unnamed or unformed non-profit?

Public asset to public asset.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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[Bridget Conant]

Actually, the title is wrong. It should be a question for Build Lakewood supporters because SLH people already understand the deception.

[Lori Allen _]

For myself, I feel the worst part of this, what appears to be not only immoral, but, also illegal deal, is the fact that Summers and council were supposed to be looking out for their citizens. What would make Summers and Council violate our trust, lie to us, and then make the worst deal possible for Lakewood? Not only our healthcare, but, also the state of our economy. It appears that CCF and possibly others made these persons one hell of a deal that they could not pass up, and they chose to put their own greed and ego's first and above all others.

I would be willing to bet that CJ Demolition was given the contract to do the tear down at our expense. It appears that this company is one of Council's, Summer's and Armond's best friends. I have seen them around Lakewood tearing down houses. Could these houses possibly have been taken by the tax thieves, or possibly by others for other reasons? It appears there is more going on in Lakewood that stinks besides the bad hospital deal.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Actually, the title is wrong. It should be a question for Build Lakewood supporters because SLH people already understand the deception.

I'm not so sure.

There seems to be a large contingent that blames the Cleveland Clinic for taking, even orchestrating a great deal for them.

But it is the City of Lakewood and LHA, that put the encouragement out there. Another metaphor used from day one, "Barn door is open, let's put some hay just outside, our prize stallion would never run" and show its speed, quickness, superior thinking and floors and floors of legal expertise. We will just get it out in the damn.... there it goes. What do we tell mom and dad? I know let's lie.

As I have said, not a member of either, ever. I represent an ever growing group that realizes the deal stinks in everyway, and the cover up is unreal.

That there is an ever growing problem in Lakewood and it is at City Hall. Where they are building a fascist state, as all fascists state were built. Lies, pressure, groups spewing hate and lies, cover ups, intimidation of free and open speech, controlling and blanketing the media. Just do a google search for "Fascist state, beginnings" pick any link, read it. It's pretty wild.

How else does losing a $350 million dollar asset that is the largest employer in Lakewood - BECOME GREAT NEWS!

We are going to keep $19 million for a friends???? While other friends and architects of the Lakewood Hospital Debacle hang on to $50 million ??????

This script would get laughed out of Hollywood, as too whacked.

People giddy over losing --- Losing a $350 million dollar asset that is the largest employer in Lakewood, because they can lick the plate of crumbs?

Or more realistically, tell a small handful how they would like to see them enjoy the crumbs.

The mere fact, the residents have let it go this far is absurd, we look like idiots.

.

[Lori Allen _]

Something smells real bad!

[Jim O'Bryan]

Something smells real bad!

Who is at fault?

You for going on vacation and trusting the management company?

The renter that jumped on the good deal?

The management company?

The people that convinced the management company to break an agreement and take the $19,000 to vegas for a chance to win big?

I forgot one more point,

No One Else Was even Considering Selling the House.

The only people wanting to sell the house, were the ones who would benefit the most.

.

[Dan Alaimo]

The property owner is at least partially responsible. Either they did not do their due diligence in selecting the management company, did not have safeguards in place to cover them while on vacation, or simply were not paying attention.

Lots of people choose to live in Lakewood because of the City services, the amenities and that they don't feel they need to pay attention. They want to trust the management company. On other bulletin boards, people are saying they thought the deal was done after December and the closing. But if they had been paying attention there would be plenty of red flags, even up until the time the giveaway was final. They might have learned anything by the shenanigans at the county level in recent years.

What to do? Call the deal back and then make the best of it while making the responsible "management company" accountable. That will no doubt mean firing the management company.

[cmager]

There seems to be a large contingent that blames the Cleveland Clinic for taking, even orchestrating a great deal for them.

CCF IS BLAMED BECAUSE CCF CAPTURED THESE PUBLIC ASSETS AND THE VOTES TO TAKE THOSE ASSETS. Period.
CCF controlled the LHA and the LHF with their own insiders, and the "political free speech" of CCF paid for more dark money insiders to sign off on the project. And CCF orchestrated this over a pre-meditated period of years. Period.

And anyhow I don't buy this "you too would take a great deal even if you knew it was wrong" rationale. That's not how good honest people work.

[Jim O'Bryan]

There seems to be a large contingent that blames the Cleveland Clinic for taking, even orchestrating a great deal for them.

CCF IS BLAMED BECAUSE CCF CAPTURED THESE PUBLIC ASSETS AND THE VOTES TO TAKE THOSE ASSETS. Period.
CCF controlled the LHA and the LHF with their own insiders, and the "political free speech" of CCF paid for more dark money insiders to sign off on the project. And CCF orchestrated this over a pre-meditated period of years. Period.

And anyhow I don't buy this "you too would take a great deal even if you knew it was wrong" rationale. That's not how good honest people work.

c mager

Through every aspect of this there were elected officials completely aware of what was going on. No one blew the whistle, all are complicit.

I do not expect the Clinic to take care of me except when I am in one of their beds.

Elected officials, Number 1 responsibility is Fiduciary agent for the community.

Let me assure you, and I have posted it many times, "We have been played."

I am curious where I have been really wrong on any of this, from 2014?

The problem is not a greedy corporation. That describes most corporations. The problem is ignorant, or complicit, or scheming elected officials and civic leaders.

2010 is as early back as this can be traced with documents. Which would you expect in the real world? The Clinic issuing a release, "We just screwed Lakewood out of..." or the Mayor, as the mayor has done in every other city this has happened in to say, "Hey, we are getting screwed by the CCF, they are trying to get out of our contract!" I do not expect a mayor to work behind the scenes for 5 years to close a hospital, and then announce it wasn't closing. Clinic never said it wasn't closing, said it was closing and gave dates.

Maybe this will make you feel better. I want back what the Clinic got if it was illegal.

I would love to see the Mayor and City Council hold Lakewood Hospital Assoc. accountable for this nightmare, they have insurance.

Anything else makes no sense. We can still let the Clinic have their way with us, if that is what the city wants, we just get hundreds of millions more.

How is that a bad thing?



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[Brian Essi]

I want back what the Clinic got if it was illegal.

It is illegal.