The Observation Deck

Saturday evening my family and I went to a friend's house here in Lakewood for a picnic. In attendance were also some of their friends and neighbors. Some of the neighbors were discussing that Ward 3 Council Candidate John Litten stopped by to speak with them. I was informed that he told them that the hospital was losing money when they asked. They also had no idea that he was on the LHA Board of Trustees. In my opinion, a council candidate should be open and honest regarding their affiliation with organizations like the LHA. I told them to look into the Ernst & Young audits from recent years, as Lakewood Hospital has been given a clean audit virtually every year for the last several years (see savelakewoodhospital.com).

The entire LHA Board of Trustees had the obligation to keep Lakewood Hospital viable and clean. In my opinion, the upkeep of the hospital and the Professional Building is a disgrace. There has even been graffiti on the "no smoking" sign in front of of the Professional Building since back in the winter. Is this lack of maintenance deliberate? Is the LHA trying to scare patients or potential patients away before they even reach the door?

According to the Ernst & Young reports, the hospital is not really losing money. However, I feel that it will be soon if our city leaders and the LHA continue what appears to be a deliberate destruction of our hospital.

Education is key, especially if all people hear is "losing money" without getting any of the background story on why, and who is responsible. Strangely enough, the two entities most responsible for this are the two who have been trusted to keep this asset viable into the future.

Vote the bums out. The LHA should be just as ashamed of their performance as the Clinic should be.