City Council Ward One representation

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mjkuhns
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City Council Ward One representation

Postby mjkuhns » Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:50 am

My ward representative on city council has recently accused a participant in this forum of a "blatantly false" claim, and asserted that all of us should demand an "immediate retraction and apology to the community." On this basis, I would like to review some of Ward One Councilman David Anderson's history in arguments about Lakewood Hospital. I believe that some of it may be relevant to questions of honesty, apologies and obligations to the community.

During most of 2015 Councilman Anderson was, in his own words, “regarded as the loyal opposition” on the issue of Lakewood Hospital. (Anderson, August 25, 2016 Lakewood Democratic Club meeting)

While in this role, voters reelected Anderson to city council, and many of us were shocked when several weeks later he voted to approve a master agreement that closed Lakewood Hospital, and turned public assets over to the Cleveland Clinic.

I trust that Councilman Anderson genuinely believes he has acted consistently and honestly. If, however, his resistance to proposals for closing Lakewood Hospital was exclusively and from the beginning related to specific features of the Letter of Intent which were modified in the final Master Agreement, he was somewhat negligent in communicating his precise views on “the most challenging issue facing the city of Lakewood.” (http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/issue_pdfs/Observer_Vol_11_Issue_20.pdf)

Formal statements by Councilman Anderson of which I am aware include a statement in the Lakewood Observer, a profile provided to the League of Women Voters, an interview for cleveland.com and comments in a cleveland.com roundtable discussion:

http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2015/09/29/ward-one-councilman-anderson-seeks-a-second-term
http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/issue_pdfs/Observer_Vol_11_Issue_20.pdf
http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/10/lakewood_city_councilman_david_1.html
http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/10/lakewood_city_council_candidat.html

In none of the preceding does Anderson make any particularly specific comments about any proposed or potential features of a deal to close Lakewood Hospital. He certainly did not communicate to voters that he would be comfortable voting for:
  • closing Lakewood Hospital
  • a no-bid sale of millions of dollars worth of public assets
  • an agreement which does not oblige any specific services to be provided by a successor healthcare agency
  • a restrictive covenant which limits reuse of property that remains in public hands
  • a blanket release of liability for all that has gone before
I do, however, find Councilman Anderson complaining at some length about the process followed in actions to close the hospital. For example:

I feel the imperfect process over the last couple of years has led many in our community to express a lack of confidence in the option of replacing Lakewood’s full service hospital with a Family Health Center. Many believe this is a backroom deal cloaked in secrecy. While I do not believe that, necessarily, what I do believe is that if residents’ faith and trust in the way the city conducts business erodes, then we have much more to lose than a hospital.

Did Councilman Anderson conclude at some point after writing the above that this has been fixed? Was an apology owed or made for the imperfect process, at any point?

Additionally, though a side note, I was interested to see that Anderson’s cleveland.com profile lists “Political party: None.” Given this, I suggest that in Councilman Anderson’s case there is some validity to persistent questions on this forum about the recent purge of several members of the Lakewood Democratic Club, to which he and I both belong.

Finally, I am sensitive to the risk of (further) personalizing this issue. I post this with hope that Councilman Anderson will not find it troubling, however, on the basis of his February 11, 2016 comments that "I'm cool with [citizen complaints], I'm a big boy, I can handle it." If that's no longer the case then I, at least, will definitely apologize.


:: matt kuhns ::
Lori Allen _
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Re: City Council Ward One representation

Postby Lori Allen _ » Thu Oct 13, 2016 10:47 am

MJ,

It appears that Mr. Anderson is the latest mouth piece for Summers. Bottom line, he attended meetings and he attended the executive sessions. I believe he knew EXACTLY what he was doing from the beginning. I feel that Mr. Anderson owes Mr. Essi an apology. Whenever these alleged crooks get backed into a corner, they find someone on the Deck to attack.

Give it up Mr. Anderson, at best, by letting this alleged immoral and illegal hospital deal go through, your sir are allegedly an accomplice and allegedly aided and abetted! Brian, thank you for your hard work and dedication. I believe that you would be more qualified as a councilmen than this Alleged liar and alleged crook!


mjkuhns
Posts: 608
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2016 8:43 am
Contact:

Re: City Council Ward One representation

Postby mjkuhns » Fri Oct 14, 2016 7:03 am

I'll presume a no-comment for constituents, at this point. Righto.


:: matt kuhns ::
james fitzgibbons
Posts: 412
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 3:34 pm

Re: City Council Ward One representation

Postby james fitzgibbons » Fri Oct 14, 2016 7:33 am

I too was fooled by my councilman Anderson before the election, his tricky words had me believing him. He told me not to lose faith, so much for that.


Lori Allen _
Posts: 2550
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2015 2:37 pm

Re: City Council Ward One representation

Postby Lori Allen _ » Fri Oct 14, 2016 11:32 am

Still waiting for your answers, Mr. Anderson, or is everyone at City Hall having a pow-wow to figure out what to say!



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