"THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED"
Finally came off the ceiling concerning Monday night's council meeting. I must be the eternal optimist...I believed somehow, someway, the hospital building would find a savior to put that building to good use. How surprised I was to find out some of the people I was looking to for help were all along doing the best they could to make that hospital just a memory. I speak of a Republican State Senator, and a Democrat State Representative. Who would have ever thought these two would end up on the same page?
A little Painesville history. Around 1980 for all purposes a Hotel built in the early 60's closed. A very minor loss. A few years ago St. Marys Elementary School closed along with the Phillip-Osborne School moving to Willoughby. A little more effect on the community than the Hotel closing. Its like losing a finger; people have a way of adjusting after they lose a finger or two.
Now the big blow: the hospital closing, leaving and being torn down. Now we have lost a hand. The hospital was not only beneficial to Painesville and the surrounding communities, it was part of Painesville's esteem. We lived in a city with a full service hospital that provided good jobs, a tax base and also brought pride to the community.
They wanted to move to Concord. Why? Were local officials a little hard to work with or did someone drop the ball? ? You decide. Yes, and with that said...why did the Cleveland Clinic never leave Cleveland's inner city? They had an investment in, not only their hospital, but also Cleveland.
No matter what the city puts on that property can it ever equal what was lost? How many of us were born there? How many of us felt the joy of our children when they were born there, a loved one sent home from there, well after recuperation? Yes, even the sorrow of a loved one passing away there. All gone now, just a memory. In a few decades you will hear "Really? Painesville had a hospital?"
Next to jobs the most important debate in this country is healthcare. No matter what side of the issue you are on please explain to me how Lake Health, who just put over 5 million into that 12 million dollar facility, was able to give Painesville another $650,000 to demolish that building. Where do you think that money came from?
posted by terminator1 @ 5:28 PM
15 Comments
15 Comments:
This downtown master plan is all a ruse to get people to forget about the hospital. Nothing will replace what was lost. I have read in the downtown master plan there are over 180 apartments for downtown? Will the Honorable Mr. Hada please tell us where these will be.
Also to you Mr. Nagy ,the council president asked you your address before you speak, not the address of where you work. Next council meeting everyone should just give the address of there employers.
Mr. Nagy, don't tell us to do what you say, when you don't even do it. Cleveland Heights deserves you, sir.
Mary Poppins
"You don't know what you got til its gone, paved paridise put up a parking lot" Something to think about.
Most people were blinded by the 2 million dollars the state gave the city. Worse case, the city didn't accept the building and sent Lake Health a letter telling them the building would be watched and the city expected the hospital building and groungs kept in good condition or Noel would write them up and see them in court.
The hospital was NEVER the responsibility of Painesville.
One of the most ...."telling", I guess you could say, conversations I had about the hospital (maybe "insane" would be a better word) was with Arlene Becks. (For those who don't know, Arlene is a former councilwoman who couldn't run for the last election because of problems with her petitions.) Anyway, she was having a conversation with me and several other people. Someone said that they did not think the hospital initially had any intention of leaving Painesville. They went on to say that one reason that they were sure of this is because the hospital had just put in millions of dollars of improvements. (They were beautiful improvements, too, I must say.) They said that they thought the reason that the hospital is gone is because the city did not work with them. Arlene said she thought that they always intended to move, and that they just put in those improvements to APPEASE the city. What? WHAT? WHAAAAAAAT?
This is a sample of the mentality of the people who have been running our city. I personally think that the city did not work with the hospital, even though the hospital desperately tried to work with the city for a long time. That is my personal impression, and it's probably a correct one. I have to say that I am left to wonder if it was an attitude issue, an incompetence issue, or if there is more here than meets the eye. I WILL say that I am just as shocked today as I was when it first happened. And saddened. And I did not grow up in this city like some did. But even without those time ties, I appreciate what a huge loss it is, and I still mourn it. I would love to have a conversation with someone from the hospital who was negotiating with the city during that time.
As a side note, I just heard that Arlene is planning on running for office again in the future. Of all the things we DO need in this city, she is CERTAINLY not one of them.
Mary Poppins,
"This downtown master plan is all a ruse to get people to forget about the hospital."
You have no clue what you are talking about and that kind of statement is exactly why most people won't take this Blog seriously!
I can't believe Mr. Nagy thinking this is a great idea for Painesville. Maybe its the only plan we got? So run with it.
The riddle is solved he doesn't live in Painesville . Not even Lake County, what a shill.
The Hospital always intended to leave, for financial reasons.
"http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/financial-markets-investing-securities/12774800-1.html"
The below is taken from the story I linked from a large financial bond rating service, Fitch Ratings. The move positioned the Hospital for more growth.From a strictly business standpoint it was the right move at the right time for LH.
"Management expects to open its replacement hospital, TriPoint Medical Center, in October 2009. Fitch expects operating results to be negatively impacted in 2009 and 2010 due to increased staffing, interest and depreciation expense related to the opening of the new hospital. However, Fitch believes the move from its Lake East Painesville campus to the fast growing central/southern region of Lake County will better position Lake Health for continued market share growth and strong operating performance."
"The Hospital always intended to leave". Out into a community without the things you would think a hospital would want. A community without a police force, public transportation, easy access.
Please answer what kind of a profit base does Lake Health have to walk away from a facility of that value [12 million] after just completing a 5 million dollar improvement and on the way out the door sprinkle $650,000 at Painesville to just get rid of it?
You wonder why your health care costs so much? After the move was made they then sprinkled $750,000 towards an intersection improvement at RT.44 and Auburn Rd. This system does it all, on your dime.
You forget that when Lake Health walked away it did not "own" the hospital, Lake County owned all the properties Lake Hospitals were on.
The County Commissioners signed all the properties over to Lake Health only so they could get rid of them.
All Lake Health had invested was the $650,00, they will make that up in lower interest rates by having a better bond rating.
If the residents of this city are looking for a "conspiracy" in all this start looking at Lake Health and the County Commissioners, not Painesville.
The Hospital would still be here, if the city had helped them take the rest of the block between Liberty & S.St.Clair St. and High & South Street, they had most of it, and some people wanted to much money for there houses, and some did not want to sell, if the Hospital had the block they would have had one very large Hospital right here in Painesville.
Thanks to all who stopped it.....
To 3:33:
I don't think just because the hospital made forward plans after deciding they could not stay in Painesville, means that they always meant to move. Once they decided they could not stay in Painesville, they would have to make alternative plans. I don't think the Fitch report proves anything about their initial intentions to stay or leave Painesville. Still seems to me that they put millions into the improvements because they intended to stay.
9:35 I tried to make that point at the council meeting but both the city manager, and the council president claimed I was wrong. The county commissioners had nothing to do with this. They should know?
Painesville is not apart of a "conspiracy" only as a facilitators.
From everything I have heard the city is very hard to deal with, and for some reason they believe they are always in the drivers seat?
I think the hospital did intend to leave Painesville due to lack of space. I worked for LHS in 2002 and I remember seeing the drawings of the new hospital and the location at Rte 44 was established. If they could have purchased the surrounding area in Painesville City, maybe they would have stuck around. I do know that they "outgrew" the old space and needed more room for the ER and testing. It's a shame at any rate - alot of jobs and business patrons GONE. Who's at fault? Who knows - I am not a politician. I guess I feel the worst for the local nursing homes. LHS was nice and close if any of their elderly patients had emergency issues - now they are just a "short" ambulance ride away!
orginally, when the hospital couldnt expand at their present location, they had meetings with the city every other month, starting in 2003. in attendance were, mr. joe hada, mr.bob fountain,mr.bill horvath, which were on city council at that time, to determine a future course fot the hospital. these people should have the answers, as to why the hospital moves? also you could ask mr.gary robinson.
How do you know who posted it? Sounds like a lot of people could have? It could have been a former coucil member but no one knows for sure.
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