The Observation Deck

At his press conference yesterday in front of firetrucks and standing shoulder to shoulder with Fire Chief Scott Gilman, Summers said:

1. “When Life is on the Line, Let’s Make Sure We Know the Truth.”
2. “We did lose a Valuable Service [Lakewood Hospital] that served this community for 100 years.”
3. “They (SLH) believe that the community is better served by a local inpatient care. I don’t dispute that.”

So there you have it from Summers’ own lips—there is no dispute that what SLH is working for would better serve the community.

Lives are on the line and a hospital would better serve our community and save lives. Summers said it.

Chief Gilman said “….It takes longer to get to the hospital…” now that the hospital is closed.

So why did Summers hold his press conference when there is no dispute that lives are at stake?

Summers said: “I am deeply disturbed by the allegations and untruths spread by people in our community who are politically motivated and who trying to scare others by attacking our emergency service system here in Lakewood.” But Summers failed to be specific about any alleged “untruths” and the “people” allegedly spreading them. That’s because nobody is “attacking our emergency service system in Lakewood.” As shown above, it can’t be SLH, because Summers admits that SLH proposes something that “Better serves our Community” and “Saves Lives.”

So Summers held a press conference to set up a lie (a straw man) that he could knock down.

So it is Summers spreading a politically motivated lie trying to scare people when “Life is on the Line.”

How sad.

How exactly are these people "politically motivated"?
Last year Team Summers (Jen Pae in particular) claimed that the Hospital movement was concocted by Mike Skindell to boost his mayoral campaign.

Which candidate is allegedly benefiting from this referendum in 2016?

I called channel 8 this morning and spoke with Brian. I asked him that since they gave Summers and Gilman air time, would they allow a member of Save Lakewood Hospital on the news at the same air time and the same amount of story time to give the other side of the story. No answer. Then I asked him if he would like to discuss with me the alleged house stealing, illegal use of HUD funding and tear downs going on in Lakewood, many appearing to be happening to the elderly, terminally ill, and minorities. Again, no answer.

As I have said before, it appears that Summers and Company have cronies in the news business too. I have called all the news stations from time to time to report our problems with rapists, murders, teenagers from East Cleveland coming in in the early morning hours to commit crimes and then being driven to the Lakewood/Cleveland line and let go, our several hold ups at gun point happening to our citizens as they walk down the street. Time and time again, the answer is, "the producer does not think this is news worthy". REALLY! That is a bunch of B.S. It appears the only time we can get a reporter into Lakewood is when Summers has to puff himself up to look good! I think we all notice how Cleveland Clinic advertises heavily on all the news and radio stations here in Lakewood. Money talks! I thought CCF was a non-profit.

To Summers and Extended family Members, you have allegedly stolen our hospital piece by piece and sold it to Cleveland Clinic for a fraction of what it was worth, stolen homes from the citizen's of Lakewood and torn down homes of historic value while the real blight in our neighborhoods remain untouched, possibly misused Housing and Urban Development funding, harassed MANY LAKEWOOD CITIZENS who question you, and, I have a feeling, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Mr. Mayor, It appears that you and your ego have no problem getting on the nightly news to spew your lies, and yet, you refuse to turn over records requests and talk to your own citizens. You know, the ones who pay your salary. They could build monuments to your self centerdness! You sir, are a disgrace and do not deserve the title of Mayor.

We have to stop these people before they ruin the entire city. VOTE NO ON ISSUE 64!!!!!! This will be the beginning of the Lakewood citizens reclaiming their city from what appear to be a bunch of hoodlums!

Didn't Summers claim that this was all for political purposes?

What about stuffing taxpayer's water bills last campaign season with alleged campaign literature?

What about continuing to stuff taxpayer's water bills with political material? Since committees have been formed on both sides of this issue, doesn't that make it political?

Didn't Summers or Gilman say something about lies were being told about the alleged "ER" or urgent care? About six weeks ago, I recall Gilman saying that inaccurate statements were being made by Deck posters. Thus far, I believe Gilman has only mentioned one alleged "inaccurate" statement with no actual documentation to back it up. Didn't Gilman also say that those with life-threatening, critical, time-sensitive aliments and injuries were being treated and sent home at Lakewood's alleged "ER"? I believe I am still waiting for the documentation that backs up this claim.

I checked with the Ohio State Medical Board's database, and neither Gilman nor Summers are certified medical doctors. Should they, as public officials, really be doing this? Are they qualified to be going around, as public officials, and discussing this?

Did the mayor's comments make on the "air" or did they get dropped to the cutting room floor?

I have a hard time believing that he would say such things on TV. Mayor Summers speaking the truth? How INCREDIBLE!

SLH is NOT attacking our emergency services! Another nice LIE Mike! We are attacking YOU and your pathetic and dangerous attempt to free up land in our downtown for your developer friends.

Will you ever admit what you have done to this city is frankly, evil? Of course you won't. You are clueless!

Giving away public assets for a fraction of it's value to a private entity ought to a crime. It certainly is in my book.

You, Mike, are the leader of this disaster. YOU OWN IT! Stop deflecting the criticism.

You, Mike, are the one who insisted on the restrictive covenant. The Clinic was willing to ditch the covenant, but YOU were not! You don't give a damn about the citizens in this town, only your own friends.

You, Mike, are the one we are attacking! Don't forget it and STOP lying about it. Oh, I forgot, you are a politician...

I'd like to know what he means by "political". Even in this relatively brief thread, people from both parties are in agreement.
It's about safety, and they keep missing an important point. Yes those who call 911 and end up in a City ambulance will be well taken care of, but there are others who will go the the emergency facility by some other means - car, cab, Uber, walk, etc. Their reasons may vary (underestimating their condition, can't afford ambulance, etc.), but if they are going by the promotion behind the emergency facility, or don't know that the hospital behind it is closed, they go thinking they are going to get full-service, and that can be a catastrophic mistake. The stories are out there.

Someone has made disparaging comments about Lakewood EMS personnel, during the course of this debate. Someone called particular EMS members inexperienced, and wholly ignorant in their remarks about a shuttered hospital's impact on… emergency services.

But I'm 99.9% certain that the author of this letter has never been affiliated with Save Lakewood Hospital:
http://www.onelakewood.com/lakewood-fir ... -hospital/

Meanwhile, though I fear I'm self-promoting here, it does feel like we've seen this show before:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2016/0 ... gency-care

Brian Essi wrote: Summers said: “I am deeply disturbed by the allegations and untruths spread by people in our community who are politically motivated and who trying to scare others by attacking our emergency service system here in Lakewood.” But Summers failed to be specific about any alleged “untruths” and the “people” allegedly spreading them.

Summers Newspeak:
Truths are Lies.Lies are Truths.
We are, what we say You are.
Invert and pervert. That's our mayor.
That's whatever Build Lakewood is calling themselves now.

Scott Gillman had an opportunity yesterday to explain in front of the cameras his statement from 9/9 that, " The ER at Lakewood continues to be a community asset and will remain that if it's supported by the community."

Still waiting on an explanation, Mr. Gillman.

Dammit Mike-- the Ox is in the ditch-- stop the crap. Stan

m buckley wrote:

Brian Essi wrote: Summers said: “I am deeply disturbed by the allegations and untruths spread by people in our community who are politically motivated and who trying to scare others by attacking our emergency service system here in Lakewood.” But Summers failed to be specific about any alleged “untruths” and the “people” allegedly spreading them.

Summers Newspeak:
Truths are Lies.Lies are Truths.
We are, what we say You are.
Invert and pervert. That's our mayor.
That's whatever Build Lakewood is calling themselves now.

Scott Gillman had an opportunity yesterday to explain in front of the cameras his statement from 9/9 that, " The ER at Lakewood continues to be a community asset and will remain that if it's supported by the community."

Still waiting on an explanation, Mr. Gillman.

It is truly amazing that Team Summers proactively trashed and destroyed the hospital, yet they now make up lies that others are "not supporting" the flimsy ER.

More amazing is the drumbeat of City Hall liars that claimed the rigged Master Agreement was "the only way" to save the now flimsy ER.

They never lifted a finger to save the hospital and they never lifted a finger to issue an RFP to ask any other healthcare systems to bid on an FHC/ER or give a liquidation bid for the hospital assets.

So Summers who lacks credibility props Gilman up at press conferences to tells us that people are making up lies about the flimsy deal Summers cooked.