Hospital for Sale!

THREAD: Hospital Sale
Author: FOURTHERECORD
Location: Porter Township
Gender: Male
Subject: Posted: Mar 17, 2007 1:06 pm

E4P: It's far-fetched to regard me as the leader of anything. I have spoken independently to a few of our County Council members and expressed my concerns and reservations. I fear any message I would deliver to our Commissioners is a lost cause falling on deaf ears. When Bob and Carol named Gwen and Dave to the hospital board of trustees the writing was on the wall. Bob wants this deal, the pie has been carved and pieces apportioned, and he's going to vigorously defend the arrangement authored under his commission. Carole is going to do whatever Bob says and John is out-voted. [At this point we may as well have one commissioner and save the $ 60 K + we compensate the other two... but that's another issue for another day.]

Here's the vote as I see it:

QUESTION: Should the deal be approved and the Foundation established?

Commissioner Harper: YES. Because I said so, I know what's good for the people and I am never wrong.

Commissioner Knoblock: YES. Cuz Bob told me so - and you know he never makes mistakes and always stands up for what is right.

Commissioner Evans: NO.. But only because his YES vote does not materially affect the outcome... largely ceremonial.

Council President Whitten: YES. Doing exactly as he is told. He'll spew a lot of rhetoric to cover his butt in '08 which will drag out the proceedings but he'll vote as instructed.

Burge: NO. Smells the rats and has enough whiskers to know where the smell is coming from.

Murphy: NO. He may be a newbie Councilman, but he's a seasoned business professional and knows a "loaded deal" when he sees it.

Carmichael: YES. If he's the clever fox I know him to be he's already cared for his own interests in the deal. He realizes that Harper is going to get his way and the price to oppose him is costly. Remember, Carmichael has been where Harper is now and knows the rules of engagement better than any other elected official in our County.

Poparad: YES. After consulting with Dave Hollenbeck and being assured it's the Council & the County's only reasonable & realistic solution - and that no other viable options exisit - which may or may not be true, but few, if any politian in Porter County has survived by opposing Dave - "when he's not being a lawyer, he doesn't just keep score at V.U. athletic events" (smile; sorry Dave, I just could not help myself). When the Dems took control of the Council, it was not by accident that Hollenbeck retained his position as the Council's legal counsel.

Stevenson: YES. She will follow Poparad's lead as she traditionally does.

Bucko: YES. He may have been considered a swing vote, but when he appeared at the press conference with Harper it was clear he's trying to attone for his sins with Harper and his Party (recall that he voted against Bob on his "Green Space" ordinance and was subsequently kicked off the County Planning Commission when the Dems took control of Board appointment). Mike's gonna go along. He has excellent self-preservation instincts.

ON THE QUESTION: THE YEAs HAVE IT! OVERWHELMINGLY. But little of it having anything to do with the actual issue or the interest of the taxpaying citizens. And this, my friends is why there is a disconnect between the voters and their elected officials. Following the vote... Resounding victory declared for Porter County, authroities in charge, and the winning team who put the deal together.

A "new day of quality health care in Porter County" declared. Parties to celebrate success and where the "carving of the winnings" will take place. Much back slapping and social hugging involved. The lawyers will be paid. The taxpaying citizens will forget and be forgotten. The $ 100 M will be spent by a Board whose members no one will recognize. And we won't hear about this again until all the money is gone.

And don't worry - they'll find some way to spin the story so the executive director, the staff, the years of P.R. spent convincing us of what a great deal it was, as well as the all important attorney's fees are not to blame, but "rising indigent care costs and decreasing medicare reimbursement" is the culprit