The Observation Deck

Unfortunately Gary can't respond to BL on Facebook because he himself isn't on Facebook.

Everyone.

Alex is right. I've neither joined nor posted there.

That said, the good news, for those who still hope for a hospital here, would be that ANYONE following all of this clearly knows that I have been extremely surprised and gratified in the last 24 hours to learn of the passionate support that is continuing, regarding the efforts to keep a hospital in our city, when so much seemed to indicate to me that the battle was over...

As I've indicated numerous times, I still would like to see a hospital in Lakewood.

True, I had, and still have, concerns about what has already happened, and what may happen in the future regarding the greater good of our community...

...but then I suppose, so do we all...

Back to the banjo...

Alex Belisle wrote:Unfortunately Gary can't respond to BL on Facebook because he himself isn't on Facebook.

I do not use Facebook either, but someone else can post his clarification statement for him it is easy.

If I am understanding how that works, this thread was posted over there, was it not?

If so, all of our remarks are already there.

Back to the banjo...

No point in posting there, the damage is done.

Unfortunately most folks don't read the whole thread....they simply see a headline on their Facebook feed and move on.
Those are the people who will now say, "I read somewhere that the hospital thing is over"
We live in a "bumper sticker" world of sound bites and headlines.

Garry Rice wrote: " If I am understanding how that works, this thread was posted over there, was it not?
If so all our remarks are already over there."

Michael Denneen wrote: " No point in posting there, the damage is done."

The Build Lakewood Facebook page has Mr. Rice's "It's Over Now, Dead And Gone..." post, complete with the rapturous, Mike Summers Superstar commentary front and center. Your clarification, carried over from the Deck, is buried with other comments and unlikely to be seen.
It strikes me that this is about optics. That this is about impact and intent.
Mr. Rice, if you want to try to undo the damage done and put an end to them taking advantage of your prior post, you would post your revised opinion about the fate of the hospital so it is clearly seen and not buried.

Dan Alaimo wrote:Thank you, Gary, for all that you do, but particularly for the timely reporting.
BL is going to do what it will do and you can't base your writing on that.

Respectfully said, why fan the flames?

m buckley wrote:

Garry Rice wrote: " If I am understanding how that works, this thread was posted over there, was it not?
If so all our remarks are already over there."

Michael Denneen wrote: " No point in posting there, the damage is done."

The Build Lakewood Facebook page has Mr. Rice's "It's Over Now, Dead And Gone..." post, complete with the rapturous, Mike Summers Superstar commentary front and center. Your clarification, carried over from the Deck, is buried with other comments and unlikely to be seen.
It strikes me that this is about optics. That this is about impact and intent.
Mr. Rice, if you want to try to undo the damage done and put an end to them taking advantage of your prior post, you would post your revised opinion about the fate of the hospital so it is clearly seen and not buried.

I have to agree with you m buckley.

BTW this thread has almost 2,000 looks in 2 days.

Everyone,

To reiterate, I've done everything here that I feel that I can do to indicate my support for the idea of a hospital presence continuing in Lakewood.

The nearly 2000 views at this thread should convince anyone that those who care about all of this, one way or the other, are looking at every word that has been written here. I'm sure that my own views, and yours as well, are clearly understood by anyone who cares to look.

Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully those directly involved with the Save Lakewood Hospital meetings will continue to regularly post whatever information they feel will be appropriate for the citizens of Lakewood to know.

I would simply think that the more visibility that their organizers continue to provide, the better it will be for them.

My reporting sense is that, now that we've covered the Mayor's meeting, would it not be a great idea for someone to report about SLH's meeting? (with their permission of course) Kind of "A Tale of Two Meetings" (with apologies to Charles Dickens ) sort of thing? I'd like to do that, but under these understandable circumstances, it would probably be better for someone else to cover it.

Back to the banjo...

Never thought I'd see the day people came down on Gary Rice.

Corey Rossen wrote:Never thought I'd see the day people came down on Gary Rice.

I would hardly call this thread "coming down on".

Michael Deneen wrote:

Corey Rossen wrote:Never thought I'd see the day people came down on Gary Rice.

I would hardly call this thread "coming down on".

Agreed, not the entire thread. Any single comment throws me off.

I may have to pick up a banjo.

Corey Rossen wrote:Never thought I'd see the day people came down on Gary Rice.

Gary has been holding his own on the Deck for as long as I have been visiting. I am certain that he is taking all comments in stride.

That said, I was surprised by the posting of his reflections prior to voters having a direct opportunity to express their opinion on the hospital deal….not mayor, not council, not charter amendment, as in November.

Had I attended Wednesday’s State of the City address, I might have come away feeling similarly defeated. However, after being exposed to the school district’s Phase III process (a continuation of the 50 Year Committee led by then BOE President, Mike Summers and the current Active Living Task Force Chair) I have found that I am better able to maintain perspective as a spectator, rather than a participant. Being caught up in the emotion of the moments seems to deeply influence our attitudes.

As an Observer, admittedly detached, I suspect that the applause that influenced Gary’s post will have fallen on deaf ears throughout the city by the time the hospital issue comes up for a vote. Too bad Council didn’t act to place the referendum on the March ballot.

I find it crazy that people in Lakewood(SLH) think that there wasn't an up and down vote on the hospital. EVERY SINGLE AD THAT SKINDELL MAILED/or put out on social media prior to the election was SAVE THE HOSPITAL. Every single thing that Summers mailed or said was "Build Lakewood". It was Skindell and Dennis on belle and Detroit saying "save Lakewood Hospital". It was Skindell=SLH and Summers=Build Lakewood. Anything else is revisionist history. The fact that Skindell refused to talk about other things related to Lakewood cost him the election.

Is there one person in Lakewood that wanted to "Save Lakewood Hospital" that voted for Summers? Is there one person in Lakewood that wanted to "build Lakewood" that voted for Skindell? The ANSWER IS NO!!!!!

Skindell lost 20 out of 27 precincts. (I could be off on this, Mike Deneen will let me know).

That being said, please continue with the referendum. I wish you the best. But the reality is that Lakewood has spoken.