The Observation Deck

Language has been added to the Foundations charter that changes the mission of the Foundation from being Lakewood Hospitals fundraising arm to providing funding for development in Avon, Twinsburg, Mentor and other local communities.

Ken Haber has been quoted as saying that the new mission will allow the Foundation to support development in local communities throughout Northeast Ohio. In a rare moment of candor Councilman Juris admitted that much to me over a year ago.

The Foundations net assets at 8/15/15 were about $33.5 million dollars. Those assets include funds raised by the Vision of Tomorrow and the Ambulance Chase.

The $33.5 million in Foundation assets were included in Lakewood Hospitals financial statements as assets of the Hospital. The original operating agreement stated clearly that ALL of the assets of the Hospital BELONGED TO THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD.

In any other City at least one member of Council would demand some answers. The City just transfers the Foundation to the Cleveland Clinic without discussion or debate or a public vote? Poor Jimmy Dimora.
It has also been reported that the Hospital made $6 million in 2014. I have not seen those statements.

Our new "emergency room is losing about $300,000 per month.

Medical accounting sure is tricky.

A Hospital that makes money must be closed and converted to an "emergency room" that loses money. $90 million in City assets are transferred to the Cleveland Clinic without compensation and we are told that this is a great deal.

Of course the Clinic has made no guarantees about the level of service in Lakewood. How long after the deal is finalized will the Clinic decide there is no need for medical service in Lakewood? Judging by past behavior that decision has already been made, the Mayor is aware of that decision and all of the talk about the future of healthcare in Lakewood are just another layer of lies.

If the phony ER isn't getting enough patients and isn't making money, we all know there is NO WAY Cleveland Clinic will continue to operate one here. They are doing all they can to divert to their other locations, as witnessed by a recent flyer advertising where to get immediate care on the west side -Lakewood was absent from that map!

So once they have the figures to support their contention that we don't need the ER, they will have no legal obligation to continue on with the farce. They'll just move on and we will have nothing, thanks to our "leaders" who think pie in the sky "development" is preferable to a hospital and medical industry jobs and economic activity.

Stayed tuned. Madigan has jumped ship and is working under Budish at the County Administrative offices.I predict soon Summers and company may also. They will probably take what they can get , leave our city in a bigger mess than it already is ,and then good old Budish will give them all jobs at the County or will create positions for them.

If you look at my post, ( a few down from this one ), titled Lakewood Trauma II ER 2003-2011, you will see it appears the closure of the Trauma Center was a part of the decanting of Lakewood Hospital. I remember seeing tons of ambulances rolling into Lakewood ER from Rocky River, Fairview, North Olmsted, Cleveland, Etc. The reasons Jan Murphy gave for getting rid of the Trauma Center were BS.

It was a thriving ER with an excellent reputation until LHF, LHA, Summers and all his buddies and council decided to STEAL it from us. Thanks Mr. Litten for resigning your position on the LHA Board. DUH, you knew that LHA was not going to exist after you STOLE our hospital. What happened to fair and opening bidding? Mr. Litten, what is really concerning is that the last I knew, you were in charge of the Saint Vincent DePaul Society for the Cleveland Diocese. How do you sleep at night? How do any of you sleep at night? A Bible verse for you all: "Not all who shout Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven."