Film classic a decoder ring for Muhlenberg talks?
If things weren't so serious, I'd think we were watching a replay of the famous Abbott & Costello 'Who's on first' routine.
Today's Courier (see here) reports on one-half of the much-touted pair of meetings scheduled for yesterday between Assemblyman Jerry Green, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, three Councilors and players in the saga of saving Muhlenberg Hospital. The report covers the meeting with Commissioner 'Chainsaw Heather' Howard. For news of the other meeting, we must wait.
Parsing the story, it seems that double-talk and excrement polishing were the order of the day.
Keeping Muhlenberg's license active, a key face-saver for the Assemblyman and the Mayor, has been an issue for some time now, as the Assemblyman himself has made clear. As has also Dr. Reddy Dandolu and his investor group -- in fact, they have said failure to keep the license active would be 'a dealbreaker'.THE LICENSE
The mishandling of the license matter by the Assemblyman could hardly have been more shabby. If it was important to keep the license active beyond Muhlenberg's closure, wasn't it important in the very beginning? If it was important, why didn't the Assemblyman ask his colleagues in the Legislature if any remembered a similar circumstance of a hospital closure where the license was kept active? Or why not ask the NJ Hospitals Association the same question?
No, it appears the Assemblyman asked no one, did no homework and only cited the embarrassing fact AFTER 'Chainsaw Heather' had issued her decision, and only after he learned of it through the sharp memory of Dr. Harold Yood (see Dr. Yood here, and the Assemblyman here).
Could the whole issue of canceling the license been headed off in advance if the Assemblyman had been more attentive or insightful? The outcome certainly couldn't have been worse.
Double-talk? How's this --
The Assemblyman said Howard 'reassured us' the license issue would not be a problem. Is this a retreat from the call to keep the license active? Is this a sign the Assemblyman's lack of mojo is letting the people down once again?Howard and Green both said a key outcome of the discussion was a mutual agreement to work toward ensuring that the issue of licensing, a hot-button topic in recent days, not be allowed to jeopardize any prospective sale of the hospital ...
... The absence of an active license for the hospital is regarded as a major pitfall by two of three known investors' groups to have expressed recent interest in Muhlenberg, according to Green ...
... "We're talking about reducing the risk of a potential buyer making the sale contingent on the license," Howard said.
VIABLE BUYER(S)'Viable buyer(s)', 'a viable plan', and 'a viable offer' seem to be the weasel-words behind which 'Chainsaw Heather' and Solaris are going to hide. I have the feeling that if Warren Buffett showed up and offered to write a check on the spot and in full for the purchase of Muhlenberg, he would be found to be 'not a viable buyer'. This smokescreen and the license issue can be seen as the strongest cudgels in the successful implementation by Solaris of any strategy of preventing competition in its service area.
JERRY THREATENS SOLARIS?
Is the idea that Muhlenberg's property would be put on the tax rolls (as a non-profit hospital, the property is currently tax-exempt), with a cost to Solaris of $3 million a year, a threat to them by the Assemblyman? You be the judge.
HEROES OF THE HOUR?Assemblyman Green and Mayor Robinson-Briggs, both of whom face re-election next year, garnered nice words from Commissioner Howard which will be useful in next year's campaign flyers, I am sure. You will note, however, that Assemblyman Green rather than the Mayor is quoted extensively in this story, which brings me back to my question of yesterday: Was she only going to be the hand-puppet of the Assemblyman?
Meanwhile, completely left out of the discussion -- by Commissioner Howard and the Assemblyman -- is the fact that if it had not been for the continuous and highly visible pressure from citizen activists like POP and 'Buy Muhlenberg', Muhlenberg would long ago have sunk beneath the waves without any of the concessions and conditions that were wrung from Solaris.
To pols and bureaucrats, the people are an inconvenience and not the real source of the power that they wield. (One regular attendee at the 'Save Muhlenberg' rallies told me that the Assemblyman confided at the very first rally that he thought it would be the only one that would ever be held.)
But that can be changed, can't it.
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4 comments:
We may not be able to get Green out because the other cities in Union County don't experience his "help", but we can certainly let him know he is not top dog by continuing to vote out his choices. Let's hope we have people getting ready to run for mayor so we won't have to put up with this much longer.
Awwww...Mr Damon a little bit jealous - the bad bad Mr. Green getting some attention...Awww...
The good, very good Mr. Damon just an insy winsy pissed off?
Awwwww.
Excrement? A meeting with the Commissioner to keep a license and find a buyer to benefit Plainfield is excrement?
Excrement? Just think about that when someone dies on the way to JFK.
What would a meeting that never occurred be called? Gold?
I for know where the excrement lies. It is not in ANY meeting to try and hospital.
To J. Stevens --
I think you misunderstand the thrust of the piece. Of course, we all want Muhlenberg to be saved, and any meeting that advances that goal is welcome.
However, the news from the Thursday meeting indicates -- to my mind -- that Commissioner Howard is hewing to her decision that the license surrender is a done deal.
That, as DBR, the potential buyer, has said IS A DEALBREAKER.
The comments by Howard and the Assemblyman are just 'blowing smoke' if you prefer that metaphor instead.
So far, we haven't heard how the SECOND MEETING -- with DBR -- went. Was their stance just a negotiating ploy? Will they walk away now? Or will they wait for Solaris' surrender date to pass?
We will have to wait and see.
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