It's Over Now, Dead And Gone...A Hospital Commentary And Reflection...

[Stan Austin]

some incumbents who are candidates have a record on this issue; new office seeker s should be able to point out to their view of public service as a clear signal to the issue of transparency.

[Dan Alaimo]

"It's over now, dead and gone..." is a good description of the hospital issue today, but at best misses the point, and at worst is a distraction. I've discussed this with Gary and I know his comments come out of an abundance of good will. We've agreed to disagree with no ill will.

Ths point today, after almost a decade of wrangling is government malfeasance and that issue is not "dead and gone." We are facing an election season where we have an opportunity to vote out supporters of the administration, and one mayoral candidate who is in the middle of the mess as Council President. There is also a question - now apparently resolved - of what to do with the land. High-end apartments and a strip shopping center or... well, no other options were on the table.

We need to keep discussing this for now to ensure that the City Hall housecleaning continues. Hopefully a new administration will seek an investigation that will bring transparency to past actions, possibly reverse course on an ill-considered development plan, and maybe bring some key players to justice.

"Justice for Lakewood" should be a campaign theme.

The discussion about the Deck is another old one, and is still worth pursuing in a separate thread, but I'll let someone else begin it.

[cmager]

"It's over now, dead and gone..." is exactly how the corrupt city and board leadership hope people respond... "nothing to see here, move along" is their thieving mantra. Don't fall for it.

"Justice for Lakewood" should be a campaign theme.

[Brian Essi]

Mr. Rice,

Surely as an experienced peacemaker you understand the fundamental principle that there must be justice in order for there to be peace. Otherwise, it is simply appeasement.

Also, the “bullies” are at the City Hall censored sites.

Here on the Deck it is all Love, Peace and Harmony...and, of course...Justice for Lakewood.

[Dan Alaimo]

Mr. Rice,

Surely as an experienced peacemaker you understand the fundamental principle that there must be justice in order for there to be peace. Otherwise, it is simply appeasement.

Also, the “bullies” are at the City Hall censored sites.

Here on the Deck it is all Love, Peace and Harmony...and, of course...Justice for Lakewood.

Hakuna matata, Brian.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I hated this thread when it was first started and still dislike it. As a person in and reporting on the trenches I know of a handful of people on both sides that did all they could do. One to find the truth, the other to hide the truth.

And that is the problem, for anyone to sit by and cheer on Tom Bullock, Mayor Summers, Sam O'Leary and vote for them is to be complicit.

Enough truth was gleened by the Observer and Essi in the earliest days, underlining City Hall Bullock, O'Leary, Madigan, Litten and others were willfully lying to the residents of Lakewood. And more to the point they all succeeded in their cover-up and lies with good people on the sidelines simply not willing to look at the facts. I get why the politicans and their friends lied, but why would any resident sit still for this BS is beyond me.

Like I said we had two small groups, and Lakewoodites wanting peace in the valley, chose to turn a blind eye to the corruption and abuse, and instead focused on Red Herring topics like anger on the Deck, why would they lie, and they were nice to me.

Strangest thing I have ever witnessed.

.

[Mark Kindt]

We have a chance to "vote the bums out" this election.

There is more than enough reason to do so.

I intend to vote for Meghan George for Mayor.

In Ward 1, my vote goes to Laura Rodriguez-Carbone.

Generally, I've really lowered my expectations for positive change in Lakewood.

The developer bulldozers are coming through and new housing will be built for future non-residents at taxpayer expense and on an exclusionary basis.

And, as usual, the message to the citizens and voters will be that we didn't have any choice.

[Dan Alaimo]

Meghan George for Mayor, and Brad Presutto for Ward 2 council rep.

[Dan Alaimo]

"It's over now, dead and gone..." is exactly how the corrupt city and board leadership hope people respond... "nothing to see here, move along" is their thieving mantra. Don't fall for it.

"Justice for Lakewood" should be a campaign theme.

I was a little bewildered by this post. Are you saying the hospital is not dead and gone, and there's some chance for reviving it?
I could argue against that but first want to see a clarification.
(And for anyone who may not know where I stand, I have been thoroughly pro-hospital right along and now want to see the Mayor and his cronies answer for their malfeasance - justice. But when the votes were over, I conceded that the hospital would be no more.)

[Dan Alaimo]

Strangest thing I have ever witnessed.

.

The strangest thing I have ever witnessed is people being persuaded that a community hospital and economic driver for DowntowN is a bad idea.

[Gary Rice]

Good Friends in Lakewood Land:

I started this thread years ago with what I thought at the time would just be a short opinion report with my perceptions and observations regarding a city meeting on a rainy night. Ironically, I only went to that meeting because another person was unable to be there. From that experience came all this.

Afterwards, some felt that I was defending City Hall too much. Others felt that I was blinded to stuff that was REALLY happening. Neither of those things was true, of course. People simply read what they wanted to in between my lines. That’s all.

Some people felt angry that I did not join others at the barricades, or shout about the injustice of it all from the ramparts, but I had enough going on in my life at the time. Losing my dad and finding my way back was about all I could handle back then.

I gave all that I could to this issue. Believe me, I did.

In hindsight, I truly wish I’d never gone to that meeting in the first place.

I’ve also tried to be as positive as possible through all of this with everyone, but quite frankly, I’m at the point where I’m wondering whether it’s about time for the iconic peace-making Lakewood Observer banjo to go into the dumpster. See, I’m really neither a joker nor a jester. I just played those roles a bit here so as to lighten the moments for people whom I felt might be getting a little too serious, and now it’s my turn to be too serious. Turns out, perhaps there is a time to be too serious, after all.

I never for a moment have questioned the honest concerns raised here by anyone. Nor have I ever defended anyone without cause. My plaintive call has been for simple civility through all of this, and not just with the 'Deck. Look, like many of you, I truly believe that the city government has a GREAT deal to answer for that has gone unanswered for far too long.

Let's keep those candidates accountable.

[cmager]

"It's over now, dead and gone..." is exactly how the corrupt city and board leadership hope people respond... "nothing to see here, move along" is their thieving mantra. Don't fall for it.

"Justice for Lakewood" should be a campaign theme.

I was a little bewildered by this post. Are you saying the hospital is not dead and gone, and there's some chance for reviving it?
I could argue against that but first want to see a clarification.
(And for anyone who may not know where I stand, I have been thoroughly pro-hospital right along and now want to see the Mayor and his cronies answer for their malfeasance - justice. But when the votes were over, I conceded that the hospital would be no more.)

Mr. Alaimo, what's confusing? "It's over now, dead and gone..." are Mr. Rice's words that you also quoted, and I react to them in a similar way as you. "Nothing to see here..." are my words projected onto the position of Team Summers Bleed Lakewood as their thieving mantra, whereby they kill the hospital, take the money, and declare that they had no choice and it's for the better. I'm with Mr. Essi in the camp that kumbaya and peace require justice. And the quest for justice is never over.

[Dan Alaimo]

"It's over now, dead and gone..." is exactly how the corrupt city and board leadership hope people respond... "nothing to see here, move along" is their thieving mantra. Don't fall for it.

"Justice for Lakewood" should be a campaign theme.

I was a little bewildered by this post. Are you saying the hospital is not dead and gone, and there's some chance for reviving it?
I could argue against that but first want to see a clarification.
(And for anyone who may not know where I stand, I have been thoroughly pro-hospital right along and now want to see the Mayor and his cronies answer for their malfeasance - justice. But when the votes were over, I conceded that the hospital would be no more.)

Mr. Alaimo, what's confusing? "It's over now, dead and gone..." are Mr. Rice's words that you also quoted, and I react to them in a similar way as you. "Nothing to see here..." are my words projected onto the position of Team Summers Bleed Lakewood as their thieving mantra, whereby they kill the hospital, take the money, and declare that they had no choice and it's for the better. I'm with Mr. Essi in the camp that kumbaya and peace require justice. And the quest for justice is never over.

I think our disagreement is on nuance. I look at the votes, and the corner of Belle and Detroit and observe, objectively, the hospital is dead and gone. I consider the possiblity of other medical systems taking over and conclude our politicall leaders let the most promisting opportunity slip away. At the time, Metro was planning its massive rebuilding effort and saw a benefit in including Lakewood Hospital. That ship has sailed..
But the calls for justice will continue for a very long time, at least until it is served.