The Observation Deck

A "Summers-gate" email has surfaced.
This internal email is from Metro’s Director of Business Development, Julie Jocono, discussing how Metro would respond to a County Councilman inquiry about Metro’s interest taking over Lakewood Hospital. Ms. Jocono wrote on January 15, 2015 (the day of Summers’ public announcement of the hospital closure): “I think we should be open about the fact that we [Metro] tried and they (the [Summers] selection committee) turned us down. They would rather have an outpatient office with ccf over a hospital with metro.” Ms. Jocono was listed as a key member on Metro’s team and was directly involved in Metro’s efforts to operate Lakewood Hospital—she squarely contradicted numerous false claims by Summers that Metro’s interest “went away.” It is now clear that Metro’s offer was part of a sham process orchestrated by Summers where the Cleveland Clinic was the only party allowed to bid on a family health center.

Summers also changed his testimony and may be deposed again--here is a May 20th court filing based upon the email and his changed answers.

They would rather have an outpatient office with CCF over a hospital with metro



That about says it all.

Let's just hope the s**t hits the fan sooner than later.

Bridget Conant wrote:They would rather have an outpatient office with CCF over a hospital with metro

For Team Summers, it all comes down to two words: "those people"

Michael Deneen wrote:

Bridget Conant wrote:They would rather have an outpatient office with CCF over a hospital with metro

For Team Summers, it all comes down to two words: "those people"

The sad part is that they have given away over $200M in annual economic impact hurting all Lakewood residents in their attempts to try to isolate and exclude "those people" that they view as undesirable in the Team Summers view of Lakewood.

It seems they want to "trash Lakewood" because really don't like all Lakewood people.

Unfortunately for them (Team Summers/ Build Lakewood,) "those people" ARE Lakewood people. I guess when you insulate yourself north of Clifton and in Clifton Park, you can pretend you live in a tony suburb.

"Those" people steering this are seriously deluded and dangerous to the rest of us.

How do these people (not "those people") sleep at night?

Peter Grossetti wrote:How do these people (not "those people") sleep at night?

Very comfortably.

...more and more people are beginning to understand that our city government is not what it pretends to be. They can hide behind the Solstice step for only so long. Thank you Brian Essi for your incredible work!

Kevin D Young wrote:...more and more people are beginning to understand that our city government is not what it pretends to be. They can hide behind the Solstice step for only so long. Thank you Brian Essi for your incredible work!

Yes, Brian, many of us are immensely grateful to you... for your courage, your honor, your quest for justice, and most especially, your readiness to help the underprivileged of our city.

Wait! Don't forget that there is only one Lord in Lakewood (Lord Summers). No reverence of Mr. Essi allowed. Worship of any "Lord" other than Lord Lakewood constitutes blasphemy against Lord thy Summers!

Mr. Essi, thank you for your service to your community.

Mr. Essi deserves a Pulitzer Prize for his research and reporting. If members of the local media were half as ambitious and dogged the whole corrupt deal would have collapsed by now.

It's clear that the Mayor lied to Council, lied to the people and lied to the Court. We deserve better.

I have friends who are friends of the Mayor. When another layer of lies is revealed they first deny it, then get angry and then make excuses. No matter what the lie is they excuse it. I guess I could understand it if the City was getting a spectacular new development but we are getting nothing but a second rate medical office building and a health care desert.

They have been planning the destruction of the Hospital for at least 5 years and they still have no idea what will take its place.

I have friends who are friends of the Mayor. When another layer of lies is revealed they first deny it, then get angry and then make excuses. No matter what the lie is they excuse it.

What excuses stealing city assets from taxpayers? What excuses putting thousands of vulnerable people at risk? What excuses decimating the main economic engine of a city on the edge?

They have been planning the destruction of the Hospital for at least 5 years and they still have no idea what will take its place.

The "deal" was inked in December. It's now May, almost 6 months later. Where are the national developers the mayor claimed were waiting to get their hands on the 4 acres? Dru Siley had an opportunity to "reveal" any "good news" at the recent Chamber presentation, but nothing was said about what they plan to do with the hulking "bricks and mortar" they got stuck with.

Bridget Conant wrote:The "deal" was inked in December. It's now May, almost 6 months later. Where are the national developers the mayor claimed were waiting to get their hands on the 4 acres? Dru Siley had an opportunity to "reveal" any "good news" at the recent Chamber presentation, but nothing was said about what they plan to do with the hulking "bricks and mortar" they got stuck with.

Perhaps they are simply biding their time, hoping to resurrect the "Rec Center" idea in 2017.
To date it has been the only REAL proposal offered....complete with architectural drawings and a proposed funding plan.
The idea is unpopular at the moment, which is why they are wise to not mention it.

If City Hall can defeat the hospital issue this November, they could shift the campaign to "selling" the Rec Center in 2017.
With enough glossy mailings, they could very well get passage on the ballot.