The Observation Deck

I had a wonderful hour-and-a-half lunch with Mayor Summers at Deagen's. It was the first
time we had a chance to talk since hospital story broke.

His major concern was how to reach out and make sure everyone knew what the deal was.
We both agreed there is much out there with little based in facts, and that makes talking
about it hard. He is very dedicated this this deal, and what will follow. His belief, and the
belief of many others is "We are selling at the right time."

I asked how dedicated he was to this Wellness Center, and he said he thought it was a
added benefit and a plus for the city. I asked him when this became the number one
crisis in the city, and he chuckled and said, "It's not. Lakewood financially is in a pretty
good place right now." He went on to describe many of the things that will be laid out in
the State of the City speech tomorrow.

We both agreed that health care is rapidly changing. While they are buzz words, it is the
truth. We are quickly moving into a wild medical future, where we will control our medical
information and treatment. They are already shrinking the number of beds needed in
Avon, as healthcare is reevaluated.

I asked if he was happy with the study, the outcome, the results, and he said he was.
He felt that everyone did the best they could be expected to do. I then asked he he
was running for reelections and he said, “Yes, I want to see this get through and
accomplished.” I asked if he was willing to put his legacy on this and he indicated he was.

It was a pleasant lunch at Degan’s, with a Mayor who truly believes in this process.

I’ll let Mayor Summers leak the rest of his good news for Lakewood, tomorrow night
at the State of the City Address.

.

Why are you so eager to accept a third class facility designed to fail?

Why are you so eager to surrender City assets to the existing Hospital board and Foundation?

Bill Call wrote:Why are you so eager to accept a third class facility designed to fail?

Why are you so eager to surrender City assets to the existing Hospital board and Foundation?

Bill

Do you mind if I ask, what are earth are you talking about?

People need to get their heads screwed on.

I had lunch with the Mayor, I put up a small section of the conversation that I thought
people would find interesting, and all afternoon and into today I get texts, calls, emails,
and stopped with, "Mayor hugger mayor hugger," "Oh know you are backing his reelection
bid." and s"I guess you have been paid off."

Seriously, I realize facts aren't your forte, but some parts of the deal I like, some I loathe.

We have people trying to stop a deal, they have not even read. We have people trying to
blow up the deal, with ZERO thought of what comes next.

No matter what, or who you want to blame since 2010* the Clinic with City Hall's approval
has been moving out of a facility they have been told to move out of early. I do not see
the scenario, that makes them make Lakewood Hospital back into Lakewood Hospital 1995.

It's funny, but the conversation reminded me a lot of Ed FitzGerald when he was getting rid
of backyard trash pick up. He thought it would cost him his job, but he didn't care what
residents thought, he was doing it, "it would save millions." He owned it. I admire someone
putting their ass and career on the line, even if for something I do not believe in. Of course
with Trash pick, the savings was really less than $2.00 a year per residence, and we have
still now made to that level as we are still paying for equipment and barrels.

Both assured me there is no going back.

* Bill, I put this asterisk in for you. You have always told me what a great job Ed
FitzGerald did, you are a huge Ed fan and supporter. "He did things right..." Well there is
the guy that expedited LHS closing, one might ask why? Certainly a guy running for
County Executive would not benefit from Clinic connections?

.

I thought Ed Fitzgerald did a decent job as Mayor. Of course if he was actively involved in dismantling Lakewood Hospital then he didn't do such a decent job after all.

The sad fact about Mr. Fitzgerald is that if he stood up to the Clinic, stood up to downtown special interests stood up FOR the residents of Cuyahoga County and Lakewood and served until 2018 he would have been elected Governor. Oh, assuming he had a valid drivers license.

I think Mayor Summers and Council are doing a good job. They have maintained City services, cut the budget and acted responsibly. For the most part anyway.

There are problems with the building department and the development department but that doesn't negate everything else.

There is also their blindness to the danger of urban sprawl and the danger of the focus on Downtown development. Like Fitzgerald's actions on the Hospital the administrations INACTION on sprawl and downtown cronyism will undo all the good they have done.

The simple fact is that the greater Cleveland area continues to lose population and economic competiveness. Actions that spread population and economic activity from Cuyahoga County to other areas of Northeast Ohio do great damage to Cuyahoga County and Lakewood and do NOTHING to increase population or the economic competitiveness of the region.

For that reason their emotional attachment to this bad deal is perplexing.

Bill Call wrote:For that reason their emotional attachment to this bad deal is perplexing.

Bill

Let me give you a hint.

Have you seen or read me retracting anything I have said?

In the scatter of misinformation of others, you have forgotten
what I wrote, which was, and still is the truth.

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Bill Call wrote:For that reason their emotional attachment to this bad deal is perplexing.

Bill

Let me give you a hint.

Have you seen or read me retracting anything I have said?

I'm not criticizing your meeting with the Mayor or your comments. I'm referring to the emotional attachment the Mayor and Hospital Board members have to a bad deal.

Bill Call wrote:I'm not criticizing your meeting with the Mayor or your comments. I'm referring to the emotional attachment the Mayor and Hospital Board members have to a bad deal.

Bill

Didn't think you were.

The Mayor has some very real reasons to dig in. I cannot argue with his reasoning on
healthcare changing. It is, and very rapidly.

As for the bad deal, I do have to admit it is becoming troubling on many different levels.

The entire process seems flawed, and nothing ads up. Throw in the desperate need for
delivering soccer fields the LSA, and millions to his buddy for "economic development."
I am not so sure he is not merely trying to control and out of control train right now.

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Bill Call wrote:I'm not criticizing your meeting with the Mayor or your comments. I'm referring to the emotional attachment the Mayor and Hospital Board members have to a bad deal.

Bill

Didn't think you were.

The Mayor has some very real reasons to dig in. I cannot argue with his reasoning on
healthcare changing. It is, and very rapidly.

As for the bad deal, I do have to admit it is becoming troubling on many different levels.

The entire process seems flawed, and nothing ads up. Throw in the desperate need for
delivering soccer fields the LSA, and millions to his buddy for "economic development."
I am not so sure he is not merely trying to control and out of control train right now.

.

Jim,

I'm confused regarding Lakewood Soccer Association's involvement with the potential redevelopment of the land that is currently utilized by our antiquated hospital. During the weeknights in the fall, there appears to be an abundance of kids learning/practicing/playing the game of soccer at Lakewood High School and/or Lakewood Park. Isn't this association a part of the recreation department's(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-kickin-it-summer-camp/12087) soccer program?

(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-football-club-soccer/11480)???



Scott

Scott Meeson wrote:Jim,

I'm confused regarding Lakewood Soccer Association's involvement with the potential redevelopment of the land that is currently utilized by our antiquated hospital. During the weeknights in the fall, there appears to be an abundance of kids learning/practicing/playing the game of soccer at Lakewood High School and/or Lakewood Park. Isn't this association a part of the recreation department's(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-kickin-it-summer-camp/12087) soccer program?

(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-football-club-soccer/11480)???



Scott

Scott

I AM NOT FLOATING A CONSPIRACY THEORY

There has been on ongoing battle for years and years between Lakewood Soccer
Association and the Lakewood Rec Department. It would seem the crux of the battle
is over Lakewood Soccer Association being tired of being charged for use of the fields. Lakewood Catholic Academy has a similar complaint about the use of fields. Together they equal a very powerful lobbying group. Add in St. Luke's Church, and you have an incredible amount of power in this town.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

Lakewood Recreation has been willing to let Lakewood Soccer use the fields for free
if they do two things 1) Open their books to Lakewood Rec Center each year so that
they could be sure they were non profit. 2) No alcohol at the events. The same thing
every other group with Lakewood Rec agrees to.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

This has been going on for some time and raises its ugly head in various ways. Lakewood
Soccer's non-official email in support of various events and platforms. This is a city that has
been encouraged to use back alleys for communications and grabbing power. Public
discussion is frowned upon in any place that cannot be controlled. Brian Powers and others
have been pushing for this. If you do not know the scene, you cannot imagine how dug
in both sides are. Again in this city there are no discussions, just wars. So after numerous
runs at Lakewood Recreation, it was decided that they would prove to all of Lakewood
that they deserved free fields with a study.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

Lakewood Schools are a little more together and faster on the draw and started their own study of how Lakewood Recreation was doing. It came back with a 87% job well done rating or something equally high, just as Councilman Brian Powers launched "The much needed study on active living and wellness in Lakewood."

How does this all come together into the same trick?

Do you want to be the mayor that lost the hospital and largest employer, or do you want
to be the mayor that brought modern medicine and healthy living to the masses?

Which is why we will end up with a Wellness Center, which is a Rec Center without a pool
and three "much needed soccer fields" in the city somewhere.

There is nothing wrong with lobbying for things, accruing power, making deals, or asking
for favorite treatment. This is how cities, states, countries are run.

So that is how Soccer got involved, and there is more coming!

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Scott Meeson wrote:Jim,

I'm confused regarding Lakewood Soccer Association's involvement with the potential redevelopment of the land that is currently utilized by our antiquated hospital. During the weeknights in the fall, there appears to be an abundance of kids learning/practicing/playing the game of soccer at Lakewood High School and/or Lakewood Park. Isn't this association a part of the recreation department's(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-kickin-it-summer-camp/12087) soccer program?

(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-football-club-soccer/11480)???



Scott

Scott

I AM NOT FLOATING A CONSPIRACY THEORY

There has been on ongoing battle for years and years between Lakewood Soccer
Association and the Lakewood Rec Department. It would seem the crux of the battle
is over Lakewood Soccer Association being tired of being charged for use of the fields. Lakewood Catholic Academy has a similar complaint about the use of fields. Together they equal a very powerful lobbying group. Add in St. Luke's Church, and you have an incredible amount of power in this town.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

Lakewood Recreation has been willing to let Lakewood Soccer use the fields for free
if they do two things 1) Open their books to Lakewood Rec Center each year so that
they could be sure they were non profit. 2) No alcohol at the events. The same thing
every other group with Lakewood Rec agrees to.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

This has been going on for some time and raises its ugly head in various ways. Lakewood
Soccer's non-official email in support of various events and platforms. This is a city that has
been encouraged to use back alleys for communications and grabbing power. Public
discussion is frowned upon in any place that cannot be controlled. Brian Powers and others
have been pushing for this. If you do not know the scene, you cannot imagine how dug
in both sides are. Again in this city there are no discussions, just wars. So after numerous
runs at Lakewood Recreation, it was decided that they would prove to all of Lakewood
that they deserved free fields with a study.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

Lakewood Schools are a little more together and faster on the draw and started their own study of how Lakewood Recreation was doing. It came back with a 87% job well done rating or something equally high, just as Councilman Brian Powers launched "The much needed study on active living and wellness in Lakewood."

How does this all come together into the same trick?

Do you want to be the mayor that lost the hospital and largest employer, or do you want
to be the mayor that brought modern medicine and healthy living to the masses?

Which is why we will end up with a Wellness Center, which is a Rec Center without a pool
and three "much needed soccer fields" in the city somewhere.

There is nothing wrong with lobbying for things, accruing power, making deals, or asking
for favorite treatment. This is how cities, states, countries are run.

So that is how Soccer got involved, and there is more coming!

.

Thanks for that detailed response, Jim!

Scott

I really want to make sure people understand I am not accusing anyone of anything illegal.

I am certainly not saying that LSA, LCA, or St. Luke's moves as a unit, like one organism.

But I am saying that spokespeople and leaders of these groups have serious political clout.

But this is also where interlocking boards become dangerous. In the business world they
would fall under anti-trust and be found guilty of federal crimes. In the non-profit world
they are tolerated, but with completely different reasons, and rules and regulations.

The problem as I see it is when 1, 2, 3 with a personal agenda use it for amassing power,
control, and more influence than you or I have as citizens. This is all through out Lakewood.

.

Thanks Jim as always for the updates. We do have a second soccer program here in Lakewood for our youth and yes we are affiliated with the Lakewood Recreation Department.
Ohio Rangers F.C. Soccer
www.ohiorangersfc.com

We offer Academy, Travel, Club, and Refugee Programs.
Please browse our website if you are interested. Thanks!

Academy (ages 5-9) Spring registration for boys and girls is currently open.
Call the Lakewood Recreation Department at 529-4081 to sign up!
Ken

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Scott Meeson wrote:Jim,

I'm confused regarding Lakewood Soccer Association's involvement with the potential redevelopment of the land that is currently utilized by our antiquated hospital. During the weeknights in the fall, there appears to be an abundance of kids learning/practicing/playing the game of soccer at Lakewood High School and/or Lakewood Park. Isn't this association a part of the recreation department's(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-kickin-it-summer-camp/12087) soccer program?

(http://www.lakewoodrecreation.com/programs/rangers-football-club-soccer/11480)???



Scott

Scott

I AM NOT FLOATING A CONSPIRACY THEORY

There has been on ongoing battle for years and years between Lakewood Soccer
Association and the Lakewood Rec Department. It would seem the crux of the battle
is over Lakewood Soccer Association being tired of being charged for use of the fields. Lakewood Catholic Academy has a similar complaint about the use of fields. Together they equal a very powerful lobbying group. Add in St. Luke's Church, and you have an incredible amount of power in this town.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

Lakewood Recreation has been willing to let Lakewood Soccer use the fields for free
if they do two things 1) Open their books to Lakewood Rec Center each year so that
they could be sure they were non profit. 2) No alcohol at the events. The same thing
every other group with Lakewood Rec agrees to.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

This has been going on for some time and raises its ugly head in various ways. Lakewood
Soccer's non-official email in support of various events and platforms. This is a city that has
been encouraged to use back alleys for communications and grabbing power. Public
discussion is frowned upon in any place that cannot be controlled. Brian Powers and others
have been pushing for this. If you do not know the scene, you cannot imagine how dug
in both sides are. Again in this city there are no discussions, just wars. So after numerous
runs at Lakewood Recreation, it was decided that they would prove to all of Lakewood
that they deserved free fields with a study.

NOTHING ILLEGAL!

Lakewood Schools are a little more together and faster on the draw and started their own study of how Lakewood Recreation was doing. It came back with a 87% job well done rating or something equally high, just as Councilman Brian Powers launched "The much needed study on active living and wellness in Lakewood."

How does this all come together into the same trick?

Do you want to be the mayor that lost the hospital and largest employer, or do you want
to be the mayor that brought modern medicine and healthy living to the masses?

Which is why we will end up with a Wellness Center, which is a Rec Center without a pool
and three "much needed soccer fields" in the city somewhere.

There is nothing wrong with lobbying for things, accruing power, making deals, or asking
for favorite treatment. This is how cities, states, countries are run.

So that is how Soccer got involved, and there is more coming!

.

Lakewood Soccer Association:http://lakewood-soccer.com/?page_id=18

Field and Equipment Expenses for 2011: $18,158
Field and Equipment Expenses for 2012: $24,980
Field and Equipment Expenses for 2013: $24,382



FWIW.

Scott Meeson