The Observation Deck

I agree, Tim.

If it were "only a proposal," why did they want Council to quickly approve it? What was there to approve if it was only a proposal?

Why did they already make plans for the site?

Why did they repeatedly say this was "a good deal" and proceed to act like it was a done deal?

Why did they insist that if we didn't agree to "the proposal/LOI," the Clinic could walk and leave us with empty buildings?

Why did they insist there was an urgent need to sign the LOI if it were only s proposal?

From all that I have seen, the LOI was NOT a mere proposal. So why are they saying this now? Why are they backing away from the LOI?

It's an insult to anyone's' intelligence to now pretend this was "just a proposal."

I have a suspicion that it is the CLINIC that has backed away from the "deal." I've said all along that they thought this was a "done deal." They were assured this would be easy sailing. Now they have a lawsuit, a riled up populace, bad publicity, and they are forced to hand over confidential information. They are NOT happy. I think THEY are backing off the deal. They want the Lakewood market, but someone will pay for screwing this up.

The "Letter of Intent" no longer exists, the term is not relevant except for legal and historical
reasons. It is now "The Master Agreement." The LOI had many holes in it, numbers and
costs that were not figured in. It was infact the answer to Mayor Summer's "Request for
Proposal" and their ideas for the closing of the hospital, which he could not legally talk about
until his wife Wendy stepped down, Joe Gibbons resign, and a couple more little hiccups
coming out.

Right now, the deal that had to be done in secret and pushed through, is coming to light,
and will go under scrutiny. Council has nothing to vote on, nothing to discuss, nothing to
even debate. This should get the deal in the open and light of day, and they can end all
of the "Executive Sessions." Which were mostly illegal anyway.

To me the most fascinating part of all of this is the City of Lakewood, has spent over $1
million to spin, misslead, and write potential proposals for turning $170 million in PUBLIC
OWNED ASSETS into $32 million PRIVATE ASSETS. Could the people grabbing the loot
please kick the city back our million for helping you take it. PLEASE?

PLEASE NOTE...

Seven months later the Clinic is still interested, and the hospital is nearly breaking even,
why do we have to push this through?

The charade continues.

.

Dan Alaimo said:

To confirm one of the things Jim said: From what I understand from those on the ground, i.e. campaigners going door to door and other soft measures such as Facebook likes, Lakewood voters are overwhelmingly opposed to the current plan to close the hospital.

That is true. I wonder if this latest "the LOI was just a PROPOSAL!" spin is a lame attempt to save face - they must be looking at the push poll results.

Bridget Conant wrote:I have a suspicion that it is the CLINIC that has backed away from the "deal." I've said all along that they thought this was a "done deal." They were assured this would be easy sailing. Now they have a lawsuit, a riled up populace, bad publicity, and they are forced to hand over confidential information. They are NOT happy. I think THEY are backing off the deal. They want the Lakewood market, but someone will pay for screwing this up.

This prompts a thought I've had for a long time, and it's just speculation on my part, but I suspect that the weakest link on the BL side is the image-makers at CCF. I'll bet they wield a lot of power because of all the money they spend to burnish that image, and as Bridget said (sort of) this must be making them crazy. The hardest link is probably the developers as we've seen time after time.

As I said, just my speculation - "nothing to see here..."