Top Ten List: Shit our Democrats say, or "The Top Ten Reasons Why It's the Hospital Sale, Stupid."

In 2016, Floyd County government officials, most but not all of them Republicans, approved the sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital, now known as Baptist Health Floyd.

Denied a $$$piece$$$ of the action, and as ever conveniently ignoring the fact that the city of New Albany is located within the county of Floyd, municipal Democrats have since become disturbingly prone to shifting any discussion whatever -- about public policy, private behavior or the best ribs in town -- to whining about the county's sale of the hospital.

Following are NA Confidential's Top Ten Reasons Why It's the Hospital Sale, Stupid.

10. We had to flip sides and subsidize the Summit Springs Luxury Mudslide Strip Mine Fun Park, give sewer tap-in waivers to wealthy Indy developers for the Break Wind Lofts at Duggins Flats, and strong-arm millions of dollars from the Horseshoe Foundation to spread around town like Jolly Ranchers ... all because of the hospital sale.

9. Once the dastardly Republicans sold the hospital, we had no choice except to take over the housing authority, give David Duggins a raise, evict the residents and demolish their homes. In fact, Duggins was so depressed about the hospital sale that he went to Keeneland for contractor therapy.

8. We had to paint anchors on every stationary object (and probably a few squirrels). Republicans sold the hospital, you know, and anchors are a well-known symbol of resistance.

7. If not for the hospital sale, we wouldn't have found it expedient to accuse Al Knable of crimes against humanity as they pertain to insignificant comments about separate 9-1-1 emergency call centers.

6. We had to spend $10 million on a new luxury city hall because after all, the damn Republicans sold the hospital out from under us.

5. Susie said if the hospital hadn't been sold, there'd have been no need for the school referendum we supported.

4. C'mon, face it, any Democratic city recoiling from the horror of Republicans selling the hospital would understand why we transformed a revolutionary two-way street grid modernization plan into just another pay-to-play, vote-buying, shoddy-ass downtown paving project.

3. Yes, it's true that when we split the city-county parks department, built a veritable Titanic of water parks and added $3 million yearly in parks and recreation budgetary outlays, the hospital had yet to be sold, but Adam said we were just being pre-emptive.

2. Why would anyone want to see Bob Caesar's sacred Bicentennial Commission financial records when the Republicans sold that hospital?

1. If Jeff Gahan doesn't get re-elected, and if Democrats don't retain control of the city, so many heads are going to roll, and so many loyalist beaks will be cruelly denied their traditional wetting, that the hospital sale's going to seem like chump change by comparison. Consequently, if yelling "Remember the Hospital Sale!" helps Democrats hold power, it saves us the trouble of asking Comrade Putin to hack the election results ... in return for the hospital.

An exchange of views: The Floyd Memorial sale, Baptist Health Systems and indigent care costs.

A reader recently commented:

The Floyd Memorial Hospital wrote off 35 million dollars last year for indigent medical care because the local patients simply couldn't pay for the services they needed.

For many years, the city of New Albany has carefully stockpiled citizens who rely on government assistance to live. Most of those can't afford hospital care. The final deal with Baptist Health Systems gives the city only 5 million a year for five years toward "indigent care". Who will administer the 5 million annually and how will the folks who will have the obvious 30 million (at least) in additional, unpaid indigent hospital care costs next year get their care? Will bodies be stacked like cordwood along Bono Road?

This city has a rich history of relying on the federal teat for everything. It will end, and it won't happen according to a City Hall schedule.

Daniel J. Eichenberger, President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services, was given a chance to reply.

I am unclear as to where this information related to defined number for charity care originated. I do not know of any such defined number. One of the reasons Baptist was chosen was because they were a not-for-profit entity and the task force felt this would likely benefit the community more substantially when it came to charity care. As part of our FAQ’s we provided to our employees, the following question and answer deals with this issue. I hope this is helpful.

How would you describe Baptist Health’s commitment to the communities served, including the level of charity care provided?

A. The first Baptist Health hospital was opened in 1924 to fulfill its Christ-centered mission of caring for the ill and infirmed. Although the mission has been expressed in numerous ways over the past 90 years, at the heart of each mission statement is the desire to demonstrate the love of Christ through the healing ministry in each of our hospitals’ respective communities. Despite the changing paradigm of healthcare delivery, Baptist Health remains committed to not only make the sick well, but equally as important, to enhance the health of those we serve by providing care to patients regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age or their ability to pay. We believe that it is our responsibility to provide medically necessary care to all who are in need, without regard to ability to pay, yet within the reasonable bounds of responsible stewardship. Last year, the cost of charity care provided by Baptist Health for its communities was more than $62 million.

Further, we believe it is our responsibility to contribute to the improvement of the general health and wellness of our community and environment through effective community education and involvement in community health improvement activities and promotions. These activities include such things as: health fairs and screenings, speaking engagements, educational programs and classes for community groups and individuals, support groups, donating space to community groups, sponsoring community fitness events/fun runs, partnering with local schools to sponsor Project Fit, healthcare education and other promotions for children, especially those who might be in poor health and at high risk. Last year, the cost of these programs was more than $3.3 million. In addition, Baptist Health made nearly $1.8 million in cash donations to community organizations.

Finally, we believe it is our responsibility to contribute to the health of our community through a continuum of care, even when it means maintaining unprofitable services that meet important community needs. Last year, the cost of unprofitable services provided by Baptist Health to our communities was nearly $12 million.

Thoughts?

Freiberger waxes defiant, Seabrook wheezes offended and Gahan daintily skips critical hospital sale meeting to raise funds for State Senate quest.

Going, going ... gone.

Between Floyd Memorial's board, the county council and county commissioners -- nineteen public stewards in all -- only Chuck Freiberger's "no" vote broke the placid spell of our collective payday.

Jerod Clapp provides solid coverage, and the C-J's Lexy Gross excels with this glimpse of the hilarity.

"We should've been told about the sale and the process before any of this took place," said commissioner Chuck Freiberger, who had the lone "no" vote. "... Are we really getting a good deal for the hospital?"

Later, commissioner Mark Seabrook addressed Freiberger's concern in a heated argument about the transparency of the deal. "It offends me that someone would question my integrity," Seabrook said.

New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan had similar concerns days ago, when he released a statement online explaining his disapproval of the deal and asked residents to email public officials with concerns before Tuesday's crucial vote.

Gahan was not at Tuesday's meeting.

Let the harvest of county government "must have" post-it notes begin.

Hospital sale: Gahanic hypocrisy aside, that's some nice party unity ya got there, boy wonder.

Surrealism simply doesn't play as entertainingly in the complete absence of ironic sensibility.

Nonetheless, in the service of stubborn persistence, I've underlined passages of interest to anyone who has ever tried to pry information from Jeff Gahan's City Hall.

More details emerge on proposed sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital; Answers on Little League donation, other questions given, by Jerod Clapp (Hanson Bible Tracts)

... Gahan said he's not aware of any invitations to him or other city officials to be involved in the process of the sale, but he's concerned about the county denying access to information.

"I don’t know what (Matt Oakley's) referring to," Gahan said. "Maybe he can elaborate and explain to the public exactly what the offers are, where the appraisals are and other information he can fully disclose. Tomorrow’s the vote," he said Monday, "and all I’m asking of him is to make those details public."

Gahan said the city needs that information to make sure its citizens are informed and he doesn't agree that the hospital sale has been a transparent process.

"I think we’re doing our job in encouraging the county council and the commissioners in making these documents public," he said. "I’ve been told I don’t have a say in it, it’s not a city issue, but when people call the office and they’re asking questions, it’s our responsibility to make sure we’re doing what we can to respond to that."

As the county council's scant two Democrats prepare to back Commissioner Chuck Freiberger's "no" campaign to the hilt ... they ... um, wait.

That's right. They aren't.

Gahan is disgruntled that his monopoly on secrecy is being challenged by county-borne upstarts -- including those in his own party.

• “Because of the nature of this business, it doesn't fall under the traditional model of appraising a piece of property,” (Brad) Striegel, who is in favor of the deal, said.
• “I am very excited about it,” said Councilman Tom Pickett. “For me it’s good to go.”

We might spend the next hundred years analyzing this, but the gist is easy to grasp.

County government, including both Republicans and Heavrin Democrats, long ago removed any consideration of revenue enhancement (including taxation rates) from the table. It's okay to discuss the potential intervention of space aliens, just not taxes. Now, the parties as ever combined in purpose, they're selling an asset to provide funding they couldn't/wouldn't acquire by other means.

Noting that the nominally democratic Gahan didn't actually oppose the sale, only parse the issue of transparency -- for which in his own fiefdom, there's no score lower than F -- it leaves the imperfect Democrat Freiberger as virtually the only one making a coherent opposition case.

Is this the best you can do, Adam?

Truth is stranger than fact: A whole day before the vote, Jeff Gahan publicly urges greater transparency in the hospital sale.

We're headed to the pawn shop with the hospital stuffed in a gym bag, but why this sale, and why now?

And with a donation and naming rights to the little league park's ball fields, finally the Floyd hospital deal makes sense.

With a scant five days notice, here's your chance to "speak out" about the Floyd Memorial Hospital sale.

Matt Oakley proposes giving the hospital to the Baptists for free, because otherwise, county government would have money.

Chuck Freiberger: Hospital sale non-transparency is bad, while Team Gahan non-transparency is ... THUMP THUMP -- is this thing on?

Truth is stranger than fact: A whole day before the vote, Jeff Gahan publicly urges greater transparency in the hospital sale.

"Remember when the City of New Albany withheld financial documents from the County for the Animal Shelter? Talk about hypocrisy."

Well, symbolic gestures are nice, too. Not that the same precepts of openness and transparency would apply to Gahan's own regime in our lifetime, but yes, definitely; whomever wrote the mayor's words for him is quite correct that full disclosure is needed before we hand over assets to the Baptists.

It's also good advance planning for Gahan's 2018 State Senate race. He'll be able to say he told us so, albeit it fewer than 24 hours before the fait accompli, and of course by 2018, his tardiness will be forgotten.

Mayor Gahan Encourages Full Disclosure of Public Documents Before Final Vote of Hospital Sale (City Hall)

... It is essential for the people of New Albany and Floyd County to understand the true value of Floyd Memorial Hospital before its sale on Tuesday, June 28, 2016. Rough estimates for the value of the hospital range from $150M to $450M.

This is only possible if hospital and county officials supply the public with any and all appraisals as required by state statute and any other business valuations. The City has requested that Floyd County officials reveal the other options and bids that they received and considered in private. In addition, any potential conflicts involving voting officials or others should be immediately disclosed to the public. These actions will ease fears and unrest regarding this unprecedented sale of a public asset in Floyd County.

County officials need to be open about the process that has led to their decision to choose Baptist Health over other proposals. Clarification after the vote is too late and it will not give us the confidence of due process we deserve. This citizen friendly action will help us to move forward without suspicion and worry. Further, full disclosure could reduce the probability of any future litigation or concerns regarding the sale of the hospital.

We're headed to the pawn shop with the hospital stuffed in a gym bag, but why this sale, and why now?

Three days later ...

And with a donation and naming rights to the little league park's ball fields, finally the Floyd hospital deal makes sense.

 ... the "local" paper catches up with the C-J's story. However, items of interest are revealed therein, so let's take a look.

Floyd Memorial sale vote coming Tuesday; Some questions still in the air, by Jerod Clapp (Claysburg Chronicle)

The last vote is just three days away, but some the details regarding Floyd Memorial Hospital's sale to Baptist Health have raised concerns among local officials.

We see the city of New Albany's corporate legal puppeteer Shane Gibson searching for loopholes.

Shane Gibson, city attorney, said in an email that the city continually examines things like TIF districts since they have an effect. But he also said the city requested the three appraisals he said are required by state law. Greg Fifer with Fifer Applegate and Pullium was hired to file the request. In a statement, Fifer said that information was denied.

Gibson's a Democrat. So is Brad Striegel, but he's down with the sale, and has been from the start.

(Striegel) said he's satisfied with the final agreement and is confident it'll go through.

“I am pleased with the process and have no concerns with the final draft,” Striegel said. “I believe it is the best thing for Floyd County, the community and the hospital that they will see for decades to come. History will judge us by this decision. I think it will have a positive impact for the community. It will set the county up financially for decades if the money is used properly.”

It's not a Brexit-scale split, although all Democrats aren't on the same page with the sale. Has there been any Republican dissent with the decision to sell the hospital? If so, I'm unaware of it.

Meanwhile, the most totemic of county Democrats, Chuck Freiberger, has continued to be the primary public voice of dissent with the deal -- in large measure, he's been the only such voice.

Has New Albany's mayor gone on record with an opinion?

Chuck Freiberger, county commissioner, said he's still unsure of the deal and doesn't know that he can vote in favor of it.

“We have a big decision coming up,” Freiberger said. “I am still a little hesitant. I still have questions and doubts whether we should sell the hospital, and if we are getting a good deal. At this time I don't see me voting yes.”

Granted, public reaction to the hospital sale has been tepid. Few seem to care, and there seems to be an accepted premise: Well, better to dispose of an asset than risk higher taxes.

And yet, there is a recurring question, down at the foundation: Should we sell the hospital?

The common answer to date has been this: Yes, because we'll never get a better deal than right now.

This is an answer, but not to the original question. It presupposes the answer to the original question: Should we sell the hospital?

Who answered the original question? Who made this decision? Was it the two Republican commissioners? The Republican county council majority? Dr. Eichenberger alone? With or without the Democrats?

There are two major queries here, and they're separate. Should the hospital be sold? If "yes," then is the deal we're getting a good one?

Can someone -- anyone -- show us the chronology of the decision to sell the hospital?

And with a donation and naming rights to the little league park's ball fields, finally the Floyd hospital deal makes sense.

As a local journalist observes, "The headline is not something from The Onion."

Just when you though Floyd County government could not possibly stoop any lower, it has enshrined the principle that yea or nay, multi-million dollar public health transactions can be tied to sports.

No wonder Gahan was so steamed about Hammersmith Park. He didn't have a hospital to sell in order to buy what is now Summit Springs.

That ol' crafty Mark Seabrook really got the knuckler past Gahan THIS TIME, didn't he?

Floyd deal gives new hospital name, funds NA little league, by Lexy Gross (C-J)

The contract between non-profit hospital system Baptist Health and Floyd Memorial Medical Group reveals details of the acquisition not formerly made public -- including the new hospital name and an agreement from the Kentucky healthcare group to assist with construction of little league baseball and softball fields in New Albany.

A 67-page contract outlines the details of Baptist Health's acquisition of the county-owned hospital. By law, the contract was required to be made public 10 days before a final hearing and vote by Floyd County elected officials.

Mike Hall, a spokesperson for New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan's office, said in an email the city received the agreement and "the Mayor will be requesting additional information regarding the pending sale, and will continue to update the media and public with information received."

With a scant five days notice, here's your chance to "speak out" about the Floyd Memorial Hospital sale.

Wait, Larry -- is that a crosswalk on a street with uncontrolled traffic?

Whether you support or oppose the hospital sale, five days isn't much time to adjust calendars. Nonetheless, this could be a long one.  

Public meetings to discuss Floyd County finances, hospital sale, by Chris Morris (River Ridge Today)

NEW ALBANY – For the first time since it was announced, the public will get the chance to speak out about the proposed sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services to Baptist Health.

Since the sale was announced in March, residents have not been able to voice their opinions, either for or against the transaction. That is until now.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Pine View Government Center. Members of the Floyd County Council and Floyd County Commissioners will be in attendance, as will representatives from Floyd Memorial Hospital.

"The goal of the public meeting is to inform the public about the details of the sale and help the public understand the process and how we got to this point," said Floyd County Council President Brad Striegel.

There is no crosswalk at Main and W. 1st Streets, and yet there's one in the middle of the block by the hospital (2 of 2).

(1 of 2)

(2 of 2)

Traveling southbound on State Street. You see a yellow sign warning about the forthcoming crosswalk.

Then a flashing yellow light.

Finally, the crosswalk itself.

However, we've been told that nothing comparable can be done here ...

 ... presumably because the state still controls this stretch of road, and the city's hands are tied. But why are caution lights sufficient at one heavily-trafficked stretch, and not another?

At times like this, you find yourself thinking. Ignoring for a moment whether the city might have resolved to act aggressively in favor of safety for all users, and pushed the state harder prior to last year's "get it paved by election time" project on W. Main Street, it remains that we possess the ability to lobby INDOT for better terms.

His name is Ed Clere, and he's our state representative. He'd likely be able to help. He's done so before, as during the negotiations between state and city for the relinquishment of 111.

Consequently, here's my next question: Has anyone from City Hall bothered to ask Ed Clere for help?

I think the answer is painfully obvious.

City council tonight: Blessings in a Backpack, Floyd Memorial sale, and CM Blair making love to a spreadsheet.

As we await Bob Caesar's compliance with my earnest request to produce records documenting Bicentennial 2013 accounts (it's now up to 355 days, Bob), there is a city council meeting tonight, and we can only hope that my hired dervish attends and whirls the invocation.

As a prelude, a note to Vicky Glotzbach: You may not be aware that at your city clerk's web zone, the most recent set of downloadable city council minutes is from March 2, 2015. All the rest after this date yield a "no results found" message when clicked.

My reason for wanting to read the minutes from late 2015 is that I thought former at-large councilwoman Shirley Baird's final substantive act on council was to gain approval of funding for Blessings in a Backpack. The organization itself mentions it here:

At the November 5th New Albany City Council meeting, volunteers from Blessings in a Backpack of Floyd County, Stephanie Watson, Cathleen Palmer and Kevin Beam expressed our gratitude to the Council for having committed to donate $35,000 towards our funding needs for the 2015-2016 school year.

However, funding for Blessings in a Backpack funding appears yet again at tonight's confab, this time offered by Greg Phipps.

What are the criteria for evaluating and determining the use of public funds for such causes? Perhaps we'll learn more tonight.

5th district councilman Matt Nash also offers a resolution on the non-transparency of the Floyd Memorial hospital transaction.

 

Nash is right, but just imagine the same standards of transparency as applied to the mayor and Mr. Disney's ruling party. That'd be genuinely revolutionary, although Lee Hamilton probably wouldn't notice.

Here's the meeting agenda. Caress your flasks, and requisite apologies for the minimalism of iPhone screenshots. I'll be live tweeting from 7:00 p.m., because cooking school!

Matt Oakley proposes giving the hospital to the Baptists for free, because otherwise, county government would have money.

Q. What happens when the newspaper combines cooking school !!! with pet o' the month nominations?

A. Bowser Burgoo.

(My compliments to the late, great John Ed Pearce for the dish)

Meanwhile, Matt Oakley takes his case for enforced starvation to an on-line click-bait bracket, which Ted Heavrin would win handily if he still served on the County Council.

Infrastructure and economic development? Just a thought.

online-petition/article_c9f293ee-f52f-11e5-af8e-57b048789e96.html">Floyd Councilman Matt Oakley proposing tax cut via online petition, by Chris Morris (Clark County Cornucopia)

NEW ALBANY — Matt Oakley does not plan to serve the final year of his term on the Floyd County Council doing nothing.

Oakley recently posted his plan to cut taxes online at the website floydforward.com, a free petition site where he is encouraging people to read the plan and sign it if they approve. He said with the money the county will receive from the sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services — $75 million of $150 million will be paid up front if approved — county taxpayers should be able to keep more of their money. The other half from the sale will be paid over a 10-year period.

Chuck Freiberger: Hospital sale non-transparency is bad, while Team Gahan non-transparency is ... THUMP THUMP -- is this thing on?

Sorry, Chuck.

As much as I agree with you that the hospital sale process has been dismally non-transparent as finagled by the GOP-dominated county apparatus, we've endured precisely the same non-transparent operating regimen by the city's Democratic regime.

Give me a goose/gander "fair's fair" non-transparency denunciation of Team Gahan, and I'll emit a concurrent roar.

Until then, it's back to the liquor cabinet and a fresh round of yawns.

Floyd Memorial Hospital sale process debated; Commissioners take non-binding vote on Baptist deal, by Chris Morris (Neues River Ridge)

NEW ALBANY — Tuesday night, it was the Floyd County Commissioners turn to take a non-binding vote to proceed with the sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services to Baptist Healthcare System.

But unlike the Floyd County Council last week, it was far from unanimous.

Commissioners Steve Bush and Mark Seabrook, both Republicans, voted in favor to proceed with the deal while Democrat Chuck Freiberger voted against it, saying he does not have enough information on the sale and was not kept in the loop during negotiations.

The debate became quite spirited between the commissioners. Seabrook was a member of the task force that negotiated the deal.

"I heard there were 13 bidders, but I don't know who they are. I don't know what the bids were," Freiberger said. "Transparency is a problem. The hospital belongs to the taxpayers, the taxpayers paid for it. The taxpayers don't know who the bidders were. The public should have been told."

Floyd County Council approves $150-300-eleventy million hospital privatization windfall. No wonder there are so many county government candidates.

"In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.”
― Czesław Miłosz

First, something we'd been told was inevitable -- which naturally should make us suspicious. Chris Morris (Picayune de la Jeffersonvillia) has the scoop, with expanded story to come:

Floyd council agrees to Baptist Health's $150M offer for Floyd Memorial Hospital

NEW ALBANY — The Floyd County Council on Tuesday evening unanimously voted for a nonbinding agreement to sell Floyd Memorial Hospital to Baptist Health Systems for $150 million.

Louisville-based Baptist's offer is $75 million at the sale's completion and another $75 million to be paid out over 10 years.

In fact, some folks already were suspicious, even if the newspaper's seldom-deployed editorial board was not: OUR OPINION: The time is right to sell Floyd Memorial Hospital.

The view from Clark County? It's all copacetic. Anyway, it's Morris again.

Floyd Memorial Hospital cuts list to three suitors; Some officials upset over lack of information

 ... However, longtime commissioner Chuck Freiberger said before he votes on a sale, he wants more details. He said he has received "very little information" and said there has been no transparency through the entire process.

"There was a task force formed without my knowledge and they have been meeting for about a year. I am told they are taking bids ... I think that is a problem," he said. "The public should be told. It's been kept hush, hush from the public."

Mark Seabrook represented the commissioners on the task force and Steve Bush sat in when Seabrook was absent. Bush said there was very little they were able to disclose due to the nature of the negotiations. He said members had to sign a confidentiality form.

I'm guessing it's too late for a referendum, but 2016 is a Floyd County election cycle. There is a huge amount of money involved, and yet every politician and hospital administrator close to the negotiations accepted terms of non-transparency.

There hasn't been much sunshine in this instance. As Bluegill previously noted on Fb:

The whole thing sounds like one of Dr. Eichenberger's blog posts. We must sell because it can't possibly make it as a public institution and we must sell now because it's in such good financial standing. Oh, and we voluntarily signed confidentiality agreements so the fact that we can't talk about it is not our fault. This is a guy who strenuously argued that whether or not people can access health services should not be considered in measuring health system quality. 

(Remember NA Health? The archives remain.)

My point, predictably offered in vain, is this: If we must wait for the outcome of the presidential election to appoint a Supreme Court justice, under the GOP's rationale that the voters need to decide, as opposed to the incumbents, then doesn't Floyd County's GOP-dominated government owe it to the citizenry to wait until after the forthcoming election before deciding what’s to become of Floyd Memorial Hospital?

Let the candidates state their preference, and let the voters choose. It's only fair, right?

$150 million says that ain't happening.