High Comedy

[Stan Austin]

I think the ultimate irony in this whole escapade is the answer to the admonition-"follow the money"-- the money just disappeared--no evidence of new mansions, expensive cars. Just a so so building to replace an institution. Hehe-- you guys got snookered! You left Lakewood with a deficit and you can't even sport your rewards. Good bargaining!!

[Bridget Conant]

Stan

Don’t underestimate or dismiss the idea of personal “rewards;” the timing has to be far enough aaay that the public, with its short memory, has “moved on” and forgotten what happened.

Just look at Ed Fitzgerald.

He ends up with a job (he sure has trouble keeping a job, doesn’t he?) at Carnegie, the developer awarded the contract to develop the hospital site.

Coincidence? Absolutely not. He planned this and positioned himself. I personally believe he promised to deliver the site at a reduced cost, or free, and my, my, look what the city has done - agreed to turn over the site for $1.

These things take time. Give it a few years and it will all become clear. Why do you think they constantly urge the residents to “move on?”

[Jim O'Bryan]

These things take time. Give it a few years and it will all become clear. Why do you think they constantly urge the residents to “move on?”

Stan

Also, do not underestimate how cheaply some people can be bought, and how sometimes the smallest shiniest thing means the world to others.

I do not know if you ever saw "Trading Places" with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd. In it the brothers who head up a large investment firm bet $1, to see if they can take a person from the ghettO and make him a broker, while ruining the life of a wealthy broker and make him a thief. All for $1. Sometimes it is the wager, sometimes it is the vendetta, sometimes it is just for something to do.

I remember during the West End debacle, one of the people helping with the coffee clatches would gather up all the cookies and food left and take it home, thereby saving herself from having to buy dinner. The coffee clatches were just more lie fests, working on small groups of people with peer pressure and a hillbilly form of Spiral Dynamics.

I know some in elected offices addicted to brass plaques, others just for something to do. Look at management, and the $$$$$ that will be associated with managing the non-profits. Cushy jobs, cushy offices for people that are mostly unemployable in the real world. The old management of LakewoodAlive couldn't even raise enough to pay their salaries. Even with the constant awards to each other, they were black holes for funding. Now, some the same group have our millions at their finger tips, and have cast themselves once again as movers and shakers.

From ego to $$$$$$ there is much at play here in what even "Little Tom O'Leary" calls the Hospital Debacle." Does Bullock need money more than another step on the political ladder? OK maybe a bad example. OK does O'Leary need $$$$ over a chance to spin around in the mayor's chair oh if he were to be king? Ok another bad example. I got it, does the Mayor need money, or does he desperately need to not be the mayor that destroyed the city. What if the wealthy through death Mayor, could cast his legacy as the man that change the course of health care in Lakewood forever? Ahhhhhhhh, now we are talking legacy. Now we are talking reasons.

Pay offs come in many forms, if there is one thing Tony Sinagra proved is you could buy any lifelong elected Ohio official with low morals for as little as a couple thousand dollars and a bottle of Cribari.

How many thousands of people choose a title over $$$$ as a form of raise everyday?

Humans can be had for very little, especially when they value themselves even less.

Which brings us back to the man who would have been president, except for a driver's license. Did the two Mayors bet a dollar they could sell off Lakewood's single strongest asset, and largest employer to benefit themselves and close friends? Did they bet each other a dollar that Lakewoodites were so stupid and afraid to ask questions they could perform the largest heist in Lakewood's history right in front of them? If they did, then Carnegie got it for less than a dollar, they won it on a $1 bet!

As the City refuses to release the documents, or minutes from the many, many secret meetings, we may never know.

Stan would you take a chance on $200 million for a $1?

Mark mentioned High Comedy...





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[Mark Kindt]

Now take a look at the Mayor's quote where he harps upon all of the public meetings.

None of the Step-Two Committee meetings at Lakewood Hospital Association were ever open to the public. The key decision on whether Lakewood Hospital had any future at all were made in these meetings.

The one opportunity to have a major local health system (Metro) operate the hospital was never open for public knowledge, much less debate, because it was foreclosed by a small group of LHA trustees reaching decisions about the future of the Hospital and the City in private.

You may recall that the Letter of Intent addressed tax sharing between Avon and Lakewood. Who empowered Mr. Gable, Mr. Haber or representatives of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation to make tax policy for the City?

[Mark Kindt]

As the same time public meetings are being held, public trustees (Summers, Bullock), a former pubic trustee (Fitzgerald) and the Lakewood Hospital Association itself are all vigorously campaigning behind the scenes with various donations and other efforts to ensure that any effort to maintain Lakewood Hospital as an invaluable community asset will fail.

When in your experience as an American citizen have you ever seen local official fight to close a hospital?

[mjkuhns]

Now take a look at the Mayor's quote where he harps upon all of the public meetings.

None of the Step-Two Committee meetings at Lakewood Hospital Association were ever open to the public. The key decision on whether Lakewood Hospital had any future at all were made in these meetings.

The one opportunity to have a major local health system (Metro) operate the hospital was never open for public knowledge, much less debate, because it was foreclosed by a small group of LHA trustees reaching decisions about the future of the Hospital and the City in private.

Also recall that the Master Agreement for which city council voted on 12/21/2015 was introduced, as something substantively new and different, only 14 days earlier on 12/7/2015. (And iirc the full text wasn't even available on what was called the first reading.)

Yet "we had lots of public meetings at which someone touched on this general issue in some capacity" nonetheless became a premise for claiming transparency and due diligence.

I was reminded of this last December when thin majorities in congress voted for legislation that, despite sweeping impacts on the economy, was only revealed days before the voting. And subsequently "we have been discussing these general issues for years" became their premise for claiming transparency, due diligence, regular order etc.

[Jim O'Bryan]

As the same time public meetings are being held, public trustees (Summers, Bullock), a former pubic trustee (Fitzgerald) and the Lakewood Hospital Association itself are all vigorously campaigning behind the scenes with various donations and other efforts to ensure that any effort to maintain Lakewood Hospital as an invaluable community asset will fail.

When in your experience as an American citizen have you ever seen local official fight to close a hospital?

Only when it benefits himself and/or his supporters directly.

Which brings us back again to the lies, he told for nearly ten years. The the lies he told when the LO, with your help broke the story,. And the lies he has told all during the supposedly open process, which he now fights in court after court to keep the documents out of public eyes.

Mayor Summers and his supporters have spent nearly millions hiding the facts. They have risked hundred of thousands of dollars in fines for not disclosing documents or destroying documents.

But that is public money, meanwhile more power, more backing and millions and millions now in the hands of his close friends, while the City of Lakewood gets nothing but the bills.

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[Mark Kindt]

Past is Prologue

Aside from the temerity and hypocrisy of this press release, I am taking the time to belabor these issues again, because past is prologue.

Now alerted, we have an opportunity to remain vigilant with regard to future municipal problems.

Has the former hospital site actually finally been appraised yet? What's its fair market value? When will we know?

What form will the New Foundation take? How will the board be selected and by whom? How many seats will the Cleveland Clinic control either directly or indirectly?

What will the deal look like for the former hospital site with the recommended developer? How big will the public subsidies be?

Will the city administration misrepresent that deal, like it did with the hospital liquidation and closing?

Will the former Lakewood Hospital Association (LHA) trustees sitting on our city council recuse themselves for voting on issues relating to the Master Agreement with LHA, like the creation of the New Foundation or the redevelopment of the former hospital site?

Will citizens who voice disagreement remain subject to ridicule, shout-downs, and other petty harassment as many now still endure?

Time will tell.

Stand-up. Speak-out.

[Brian Essi]

Past is Prologue

Aside from the temerity and hypocrisy of this press release, I am taking the time to belabor these issues again, because past is prologue.

Now alerted, we have an opportunity to remain vigilant with regard to future municipal problems.

Has the former hospital site actually finally been appraised yet? What's its fair market value? When will we know?

What form will the New Foundation take? How will the board be selected and by whom? How many seats will the Cleveland Clinic control either directly or indirectly?

What will the deal look like for the former hospital site with the recommended developer? How big will the public subsidies be?

Will the city administration misrepresent that deal, like it did with the hospital liquidation and closing?

Will the former Lakewood Hospital Association (LHA) trustees sitting on our city council recuse themselves for voting on issues relating to the Master Agreement with LHA, like the creation of the New Foundation or the redevelopment of the former hospital site?

Will citizens who voice disagreement remain subject to ridicule, shout-downs, and other petty harassment as many now still endure?

Time will tell.

Stand-up. Speak-out.

Mr. Kindt,

Nothing is final.
Nothing is fatal.
Lakewood only needs the courage to continue.

Stand up, Indeed!

Speak out, you can count on me!!!

No matter the doxing.

No matter the ongoing or future police reports filed to try to silence us.

We shall never surrender.

We have only begun to fight.

We are shoulder to shoulder as we charge up the hill.

“We would rather die choking on our own blood...”
Winston Churchill May 1940.

[Mark Kindt]

Sorry, folks! High Comedy has moved to another thread.

Only one thing could be more absurd than a City of Lakewood press release...

and that would be a...

City document!

http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=24624

You have to see this to believe it.

It's a real puzzler.