The Observation Deck

This exchange began today on Facebook. Since I can no longer edit or add to that Facebook debate I thought I would continue it here.

Bill Call:

This is just a bad business deal. All of the assets of the Hospital belonged to the City.

The $55 million in cash and investments.

The $34 million in the Lakewood Hospital Foundation.

All of the licenses, receivables, property, plant and equipment.

All of the real estate including the Columbia road property.

In exchange for a Hospital and 1,500 jobs the City gets a few million dollars over a number of years. Say no to this very bad deal. Since the City gets nothing the City has nothing to lose.


Councilman O'Leary:

That's wrong, Bill Call. Every single statement above is incorrect. The Lakewood Hospital Association and the City of Lakewood are two distinct legal entities. The Lakewood Hospital Foundation, is yet a third distinct legal entity, whose assets are its own and are not and were never involved in this "business deal."
If you're interested about learning about what happened and how, I suggest you check out the link above. I'd also be happy to help explain to you who and what was involved, since your statement above indicates you've misunderstood or been misinformed about pretty much everything related to this topic.
Contrary to your statement above that the City "has nothing to lose," most everyone in our community realizes that the stakes were actually quite high for the City of Lakewood. Fortunately, we were able to reach a resolution that includes:

- A $30+ Million brand new, state of the art, Family Health Center and full service, 24/7/365 emergency department

- A new community health foundation (in addition to the Lakewood Hospital Foundation), funded with $32 million in new money directly from CCF

- Close to 6 acres of land in the heart of downtown to re-develop, further reducing the number of actual jobs "lost" by the hospital's closure, which lest we forget, was imminent in any case given that the hospital was hemorrhaging $1,000,000 a month in financial loses.

Also, I don't know what you mean by "say no to this deal." The new agreement is in place, and nothing can be done to reopen the hospital or renegotiate a contract that is already being performed by multiple parties, for months.


Bill Call responds in part:

The Councilman say:

That's wrong, Bill Call. Every single statement above is incorrect. The Lakewood Hospital Association and the City of Lakewood are two distinct legal entities. The Lakewood Hospital Foundation, is yet a third distinct legal entity, whose assets are its own and are not and were never involved in this "business deal."

In fact we are both correct. The City of Lakewood, the Lakewood Hospital Association and the City of Lakewood are distinct legal entities. However, the original agreement from way back then was quite clear. ALL OF THE ASSETS, INCLUDING CASH INVESTMENTS, RECIEVABLES, PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT AND REAL ESTATE WERE THE PROPERYT OF THE CIY OF LAKEWOOD. The assets of the Foundation are clearly listed on the Hospital balance sheet as an asset of the Hospital.

The agreement specified that all of those assets would be returned to the City at the end of the lease term. When the Mayor touts all that we are being given in this deal he is misleading the public. We are being given nothing. The LHA and Cleveland Clinic are merely returning a small portion of what they rented. The City is not "getting 6 acres of land". City already owns the land.

Bill, save your breath. There is no sense in debating someone, whom I believe is a self indulgent corrupt person, and another Summer's mouth piece.

1.) According to several physicians at Premier Physicians, there was nothing wrong with Lake wood Hospital. It was very profitable and turn over of nursing staff was low. Mary Lousie Madigan's, "ER"' is a fallacy. It is nothing more than an Urgent Care.
2.) This deal was done in secret behind closed doors, with zero transparency, and denial of stonewalling of most records requests.
3. I believe this deal was done not only immorally, but also illegally. City Hall completely ignored Federal Trade Commissions laws. Public assets must be put up for open bid, not sold to one entity without competitive bidding.
4. If Summers and his Co. want to complain about the hospital losing money.

A. They are using our tax money to hire outside lawyers (apparently Butler and the other in-house attorneys are incompetent) and all of their outside consultants (remember Cindy Marx and her apparent friendship with Huron Consulting)! This was all at our expense, as they are using tax money to pay for this nonsense. Bullock (another apparent Summers' mouthpiece) should be refunding the taxpayer money wasted on this nonsense, as he, Summers, and Madigan were part of the beginning of this deal through their LHA membership.

Bottom line: I believe council is just a formality. Their actions and words make it clear that their only apparent purpose is to serve Summers and his/their cronies. I would not be surprised if they received some kind of reward for their loyalty to this deal.

Bill Call wrote:This exchange began today on Facebook. Since I can no longer edit or add to that Facebook debate I thought I would continue it here.

Bill Call:

This is just a bad business deal. All of the assets of the Hospital belonged to the City.

The $55 million in cash and investments.

The $34 million in the Lakewood Hospital Foundation.

All of the licenses, receivables, property, plant and equipment.

All of the real estate including the Columbia road property.

In exchange for a Hospital and 1,500 jobs the City gets a few million dollars over a number of years. Say no to this very bad deal. Since the City gets nothing the City has nothing to lose.


Councilman O'Leary:

That's wrong, Bill Call. Every single statement above is incorrect. The Lakewood Hospital Association and the City of Lakewood are two distinct legal entities. The Lakewood Hospital Foundation, is yet a third distinct legal entity, whose assets are its own and are not and were never involved in this "business deal."
If you're interested about learning about what happened and how, I suggest you check out the link above. I'd also be happy to help explain to you who and what was involved, since your statement above indicates you've misunderstood or been misinformed about pretty much everything related to this topic.
Contrary to your statement above that the City "has nothing to lose," most everyone in our community realizes that the stakes were actually quite high for the City of Lakewood. Fortunately, we were able to reach a resolution that includes:

- A $30+ Million brand new, state of the art, Family Health Center and full service, 24/7/365 emergency department

- A new community health foundation (in addition to the Lakewood Hospital Foundation), funded with $32 million in new money directly from CCF

- Close to 6 acres of land in the heart of downtown to re-develop, further reducing the number of actual jobs "lost" by the hospital's closure, which lest we forget, was imminent in any case given that the hospital was hemorrhaging $1,000,000 a month in financial loses.

Also, I don't know what you mean by "say no to this deal." The new agreement is in place, and nothing can be done to reopen the hospital or renegotiate a contract that is already being performed by multiple parties, for months.


Bill Call responds in part:

The Councilman say:

That's wrong, Bill Call. Every single statement above is incorrect. The Lakewood Hospital Association and the City of Lakewood are two distinct legal entities. The Lakewood Hospital Foundation, is yet a third distinct legal entity, whose assets are its own and are not and were never involved in this "business deal."

In fact we are both correct. The City of Lakewood, the Lakewood Hospital Association and the City of Lakewood are distinct legal entities. However, the original agreement from way back then was quite clear. ALL OF THE ASSETS, INCLUDING CASH INVESTMENTS, RECIEVABLES, PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT AND REAL ESTATE WERE THE PROPERYT OF THE CIY OF LAKEWOOD. The assets of the Foundation are clearly listed on the Hospital balance sheet as an asset of the Hospital.

The agreement specified that all of those assets would be returned to the City at the end of the lease term. When the Mayor touts all that we are being given in this deal he is misleading the public. We are being given nothing. The LHA and Cleveland Clinic are merely returning a small portion of what they rented. The City is not "getting 6 acres of land". City already owns the land.

There is no debate here. O'Leary is spreading the same old false and misleading statements. For example, the hospital was not losing the amount O'Leary says and the losses only started AFTER Summers and Councilmembers made a premature announcement to close it in January, 2015 and AFTER CCF, with the complicity of City Council, began removing services to tank it.

O'Leary never lifted a finger to stop any action by CCF, LHA, Summers, Madigan et al. He rolled over.

It seems clear he chose the support of CCF and Insiders to advance his political career over serving the people of Lakewood and the poor.

O'Leary admitted under oath that he had secret meetings with CCF executives that influenced his decision to roll over and accept a deal that was $20M worse than the LOI.

Remind me why CCF is supposed to get a pass on this. Actually, don't.

Brian,

O'Leary rolled over. Did Summers & Co. and CCF give him a bone and tell him "good boy?"

Bill Call wrote:This exchange began today on Facebook. Since I can no longer edit or add to that Facebook debate I thought I would continue it here.

Bill, could you provide a link or some direction to the original FB discussion? I looked, but didn't find it as quickly as I'd like. I'm curious what other comments were made Thanks!

O'Leary said:

"Also, I don't know what you mean by "say no to this deal." The new agreement is in place, and nothing can be done to reopen the hospital or renegotiate a contract that is already being performed by multiple parties, for months."


Ummmm, hello, Sam? Ever read the City Charter about the Citizens Right Initiative and Referendum? C'mon Sam, I know you have. If not, here is a reminder, straight from our City Charter:

13.2 Referendum Procedures
(a) All ordinances adopted by the City Council that are legislative in character shall be subject to referendum. Any ordinance necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety; fixing the rate of general property taxation for any year; related to the issuance of securities; adopting the budget; making an appropriation for the ensuing fiscal year; calling for a special election; levying special assessments, or initiating improvement districts shall not be subject to referendum.

So, "nothing can be done"? Sorry Sam, we are doing it, and that is why you and your cohorts are basically freaking out!

Get your pens and pencils ready...back to the drawing board folks!

Candidate O'Leary supports the referendum process (1:50):
http://video-embed.cleveland.com/servic ... 3W_DNtPBTa

(There were several videos of portions of the candidates debate. This should bring you right to the discussion of the charter amendment.)

There is a difference between saying something and doing something. Do you really think O,Leary is for the referendum?

There is only one reason I can think of as to why O'Leary would say that the deal was done and that the hospital would not re-open. I strongly believe that Judge O'Donnell is involved much deeper in our city's business than we are aware of. It appears that this is the reason why he has now stalled this court hearing regarding the the hospital now for over a year. I believe he wants to give CCF time to at least get the south medical building down so that the people of Lakewood will think that it is all over. I strongly suggest that the citizens of Lakewood do some research on this man. It appears that he has done some questionable things in his past. I believe he was involved in some discrimination against black people regarding foreclosures with his foreclosure magistrate, Stephen Bucha (also a Lakewood resident). Does this make him appear to really want to help the folks of Lakewood and their rights to good, quality healthcare? Unfortunately, I feel O'Donnell has played the plaintiffs. I believe he is a member of Summers and his Extended Company. He should have recused himself from this case immediately.

Why should O'Leary worry? It appears they have all their bases covered form the city to the federal level with corrupt politicians who have paved CCF's, Council's and Lord's path to the alleged pot of gold!

O'Donnell is running for the Supreme Court of Ohio. I know most readers on the Deck are Democrats, however, this time you should all be voting for his opponent, Pat Fischer. I have already called his office and informed him of some of the issues we are facing. I believe there is enough corruption at the judicial level.

Type in "Judge O'Donnell foreclosure fraud" under Google and it will bring up a whole list of search results in regards to this issue.

Lori Allen _ wrote:There is a difference between saying something and doing something. Do you really think O,Leary is for the referendum?

You may have missed the point. During the election, O'Leary spoke against the charter amendment, indicating that a referendum was the proper way to go, and the evidence is recorded. Then he worked to preempt the referendum by cooperating with the plan that got the hospital closed, and is now building a case against the referendum based on those actions. The word 'duplicity' comes to mind.

Dan,
I think you are splitting hairs. We ended up in the same place. O'Leary ended up being just like the rest of Lord and Company. It appears they all fell for the great reward offered to them by Summers and CCF. Again, I believe after this hospital ordeal is complete, most of them will probably abandon Lakewood and be working for the County, Much like the rest of Lakewood's allegedly corrupt politicians. Look at Budish's cabinet and you can see what I mean.

Dan Alaimo wrote: O'Leary spoke against the charter amendment, indicating that a referendum was the proper way to go, and the evidence is recorded. Then he worked to preempt the referendum by cooperating with the plan that got the hospital closed, and is now building a case against the referendum based on those actions. The word 'duplicity' comes to mind.

Now that we've established what Mr. O'Leary is, all that is left is to determine to what extent and at what price.

Dan Alaimo wrote:

Bill Call wrote:This exchange began today on Facebook. Since I can no longer edit or add to that Facebook debate I thought I would continue it here.

Bill, could you provide a link or some direction to the original FB discussion? I looked, but didn't find it as quickly as I'd like. I'm curious what other comments were made Thanks!

I can't see how to do that. I don't understand facebook.

Coucilman O'Leary has shut down our debate. I might continue without him.

One reason City officials hate open discussions or debate is that they end up revealing too much.


A good example is Jennifer Pae's comment that the loss of a Hospital in Lakewood is no big deal because the region has lost nothing.

A good example is Jennifer Pae's comment that the loss of a Hospital in Lakewood is no big deal because the region has lost nothing.

Both the city of Lakewood and Cuyahoga County LOST revenue and jobs.

In what universe is that GOOD NEWS!?

Bridget Conant wrote:

A good example is Jennifer Pae's comment that the loss of a Hospital in Lakewood is no big deal because the region has lost nothing.

Both the city of Lakewood and Cuyahoga County LOST revenue and jobs.

In what universe is that GOOD NEWS!?

Apparently City officials have adopted the Plain Dealers view that our region includes all of Northeastern Ohio. That broad definition allows them to claim success even if most of Cuyahoga County sinks into poverty and irrelevance. Unless you are talking about downtown.

I suspect that if Key Bank moved it's headquarters to North Ridgeville from downtown Mayor Summers and his regionalist allies would have a coranary.

Of course the loss of 1,500 jobs in Lakewood means nothing.

We live in strange times.