Mayor Ties Active Living Task Force To Clinic Debacle
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:41 am
While Mayor Summers assured us the "Active Living Task Force" had nothing to do with the Cleveland Clinic, his deposition claims it was the Clinic's idea for selling the idea. While Jay Foran director of the active living task force assured us it had nothing to do with the Hospital Debacle, the Mayor's testemoney also hints at using it "to take" other assets in the city including Rec Department, Sports Fields, and other property.
Summers, Michael - Vol. 1 (1/20/2016), (Pages 157:23 to 163:5)
157
Question: Exhibit 34, what is that, that's in front of you, as well?
Mayor Summers' Answer: Well, this was, I think, the Clinic, as espoused by Dr. Bronson, with his community-based approach to improving the health of the citizens of Lakewood, the community of Lakewood.
Question: All right. Now, the date on that appears to be May 15th, 2004.
Mayor Summers' Answer: There were several iterations prior to this.
Question: 2014, right?
Mayor Summers' Answer: 2014.
Question: Correct. I'm sorry.
Mayor Summers' Answer: Yeah, there were a couple iterations before this. This is Version 8. This was sort of a living strategic document --
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: -- that reflected, I think, the Clinic's, particularly Dr. Bronson's, view of the evolving nature of both need in the community and some community-based approaches to address those needs.
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: So we understood this particular proposal, and it meant closing the hospital as we knew it as an inpatient facility.
Question: Can you back up, now, on that exhibit there, 34, that you have in front of you. Version 8, can you take me through the sequence, you know, the time frame from Version 1 to Version 8, what are we looking at here, as far as --
Mayor Summers' Answer: I don't think it changed in terms of substance. I think there was some refinement of details.
Question: So would have this all been 2014 that these versions were coming together?
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, I believe they started -- we saw the first ones in 2013.
Question: 13, okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: In a broad concept. And Page 9 reflects, I think, the broad-based approach that was contemplated here, where you had some leading organizations --
MR. EHRENFELT: I'm sorry, which exhibit are we on?
THE WITNESS: Exhibit 34, Page 9.
MR. EHRENFELT: Thank you.
Mayor Summers' Answer: That in order to achieve true community-based engagement, you would need the four at the top, City of Lakewood, Hospital Association, the Foundation, Cleveland Clinic. In addition, you would need the engagement of other partners, such as, but not necessarily specifically, the YMCA, the City Schools, the Rec Department, the Community West Foundation, perhaps others.
Question: Okay. And is this the genesis, then, of the discussions concerning Rec Center, or the use of the property for something other than for health care?
Mayor Summers' Answer: This was the Cleveland Clinic's view of, to take a community to higher levels of wellness, and to do it on a preventative basis, or early detection, that there had to be a significant engagement of active living.
Question: I understand that. So you had established an Active Living Task Force; is that correct?
Mayor Summers' Answer: Subsequently. Yeah, subsequently.
Question: So that was after 2014, that Active Living started up, or after the first version?
Mayor Summers' Answer: Probably during 2014.
Question: 2014.
Mayor Summers' Answer: Yeah.
Question: Did you ever indicate to either the members of Lakewood Hospital Association Board, or to the administrators of the Cleveland Clinic, a preference of creating a community center or athletic facilities on the hospital property?
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, not in any detail. I think there was a recognition in Lakewood that, one, we don't have a lot of land to do any of these types of things well; and secondly, we already had a lot of pieces and parts here; and thirdly, that kind of approach would have to take a significant amount of community engagement. So this was Dr. Bronson's view --
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: -- it was not necessarily my view. Although I agreed with many pieces and parts of this. But it was never -- this was never a City-based plan.
Question: Did you have the Active Living Task Force -- who was that, Jay Foran, that was the Chair of that?
Mayor Summers' Answer: There were several members.
Question: Okay. Jay was very involved in it?
Mayor Summers' Answer: He was, yeah.
Question: Okay. Were there discussions between you and Mr. Foran concerning the creation of a recreation or community center at the hospital?
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, I think there were questions of, what do we have, what do we need, what's missing, and how might we, as a community, if we're going to re-engage in our second century, which is a pretty common conversation around here, that how can we reconfigure or reuse or adapt our parks, our schools -- which we don't control the City side -- and any piece that would allow us to take -- to increase the opportunity for a citizen to become more physically active, and therefore improve their health.
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: So it was a wide open conversation, and remains so.
Question: All right. So 2013, one of the versions, as what you've indicated for Exhibit Number 34, and this was initiated by Dr. Bronson; is that correct?
Mayor Summers' Answer: That's correct.
Question: All right. And you didn't have to -- you did not encourage him or indicate to him that you thought that that would be an outpatient -- the elimination of an inpatient facility of Lakewood Hospital would be okay with you.
MR. CAHILL: Objection to form.
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, no, I did not indicate it would be okay.
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: We were halfway or two thirds through a strategic review of options. Subsequently, we needed to know, was there somebody who could provide another delivery.
Question: So on the sequence, then, you had nine versions of Exhibit 34 that were the Cleveland Clinic proposals, and then at some point in time, then, an RFP was sent out to see if there were other interested parties, and that is what Exhibit Number 33 was part of; is that correct?
MR. CAHILL: Objection to the extent it misstates facts.
Mayor Summers' Answer: This was the -- should a party indicate interest, they would have gotten this.
Question: Okay. All right. Did the Cleveland Clinic get this, 33?
Mayor Summers' Answer: I don't know, because we already knew they were not interested in the inpatient. You know, you mentioned this clause, you know, of inpatient requirements. And we knew their views --
Yet another charade uncovered, and the lies that hid it.
.
Summers, Michael - Vol. 1 (1/20/2016), (Pages 157:23 to 163:5)
157
Question: Exhibit 34, what is that, that's in front of you, as well?
Mayor Summers' Answer: Well, this was, I think, the Clinic, as espoused by Dr. Bronson, with his community-based approach to improving the health of the citizens of Lakewood, the community of Lakewood.
Question: All right. Now, the date on that appears to be May 15th, 2004.
Mayor Summers' Answer: There were several iterations prior to this.
Question: 2014, right?
Mayor Summers' Answer: 2014.
Question: Correct. I'm sorry.
Mayor Summers' Answer: Yeah, there were a couple iterations before this. This is Version 8. This was sort of a living strategic document --
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: -- that reflected, I think, the Clinic's, particularly Dr. Bronson's, view of the evolving nature of both need in the community and some community-based approaches to address those needs.
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: So we understood this particular proposal, and it meant closing the hospital as we knew it as an inpatient facility.
Question: Can you back up, now, on that exhibit there, 34, that you have in front of you. Version 8, can you take me through the sequence, you know, the time frame from Version 1 to Version 8, what are we looking at here, as far as --
Mayor Summers' Answer: I don't think it changed in terms of substance. I think there was some refinement of details.
Question: So would have this all been 2014 that these versions were coming together?
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, I believe they started -- we saw the first ones in 2013.
Question: 13, okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: In a broad concept. And Page 9 reflects, I think, the broad-based approach that was contemplated here, where you had some leading organizations --
MR. EHRENFELT: I'm sorry, which exhibit are we on?
THE WITNESS: Exhibit 34, Page 9.
MR. EHRENFELT: Thank you.
Mayor Summers' Answer: That in order to achieve true community-based engagement, you would need the four at the top, City of Lakewood, Hospital Association, the Foundation, Cleveland Clinic. In addition, you would need the engagement of other partners, such as, but not necessarily specifically, the YMCA, the City Schools, the Rec Department, the Community West Foundation, perhaps others.
Question: Okay. And is this the genesis, then, of the discussions concerning Rec Center, or the use of the property for something other than for health care?
Mayor Summers' Answer: This was the Cleveland Clinic's view of, to take a community to higher levels of wellness, and to do it on a preventative basis, or early detection, that there had to be a significant engagement of active living.
Question: I understand that. So you had established an Active Living Task Force; is that correct?
Mayor Summers' Answer: Subsequently. Yeah, subsequently.
Question: So that was after 2014, that Active Living started up, or after the first version?
Mayor Summers' Answer: Probably during 2014.
Question: 2014.
Mayor Summers' Answer: Yeah.
Question: Did you ever indicate to either the members of Lakewood Hospital Association Board, or to the administrators of the Cleveland Clinic, a preference of creating a community center or athletic facilities on the hospital property?
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, not in any detail. I think there was a recognition in Lakewood that, one, we don't have a lot of land to do any of these types of things well; and secondly, we already had a lot of pieces and parts here; and thirdly, that kind of approach would have to take a significant amount of community engagement. So this was Dr. Bronson's view --
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: -- it was not necessarily my view. Although I agreed with many pieces and parts of this. But it was never -- this was never a City-based plan.
Question: Did you have the Active Living Task Force -- who was that, Jay Foran, that was the Chair of that?
Mayor Summers' Answer: There were several members.
Question: Okay. Jay was very involved in it?
Mayor Summers' Answer: He was, yeah.
Question: Okay. Were there discussions between you and Mr. Foran concerning the creation of a recreation or community center at the hospital?
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, I think there were questions of, what do we have, what do we need, what's missing, and how might we, as a community, if we're going to re-engage in our second century, which is a pretty common conversation around here, that how can we reconfigure or reuse or adapt our parks, our schools -- which we don't control the City side -- and any piece that would allow us to take -- to increase the opportunity for a citizen to become more physically active, and therefore improve their health.
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: So it was a wide open conversation, and remains so.
Question: All right. So 2013, one of the versions, as what you've indicated for Exhibit Number 34, and this was initiated by Dr. Bronson; is that correct?
Mayor Summers' Answer: That's correct.
Question: All right. And you didn't have to -- you did not encourage him or indicate to him that you thought that that would be an outpatient -- the elimination of an inpatient facility of Lakewood Hospital would be okay with you.
MR. CAHILL: Objection to form.
Mayor Summers' Answer: No, no, I did not indicate it would be okay.
Question: Okay.
Mayor Summers' Answer: We were halfway or two thirds through a strategic review of options. Subsequently, we needed to know, was there somebody who could provide another delivery.
Question: So on the sequence, then, you had nine versions of Exhibit 34 that were the Cleveland Clinic proposals, and then at some point in time, then, an RFP was sent out to see if there were other interested parties, and that is what Exhibit Number 33 was part of; is that correct?
MR. CAHILL: Objection to the extent it misstates facts.
Mayor Summers' Answer: This was the -- should a party indicate interest, they would have gotten this.
Question: Okay. All right. Did the Cleveland Clinic get this, 33?
Mayor Summers' Answer: I don't know, because we already knew they were not interested in the inpatient. You know, you mentioned this clause, you know, of inpatient requirements. And we knew their views --
Yet another charade uncovered, and the lies that hid it.
.