CFN – We’re getting closer to a decision on the Cornwall General Hospital facility. Today is a meeting of the hospital board and what is supposed to be closure.Mark A MacDonald, a former Councilor, and part of the Concerned Citizens Coalition sent an urgent email to City Hall suggesting that council have an emergency meeting due to the timing and council not having a scheduled meeting until March 25th.
Video of the offer process at last Concerned Citizen’s Meeting
We are reprinting his email to council and the hospital board asking for more time for consideration of the groups proposal to purchase the hospital and follow the successful model used to turn a hospital in Barrie Ontario into a community facility.
Currently Cornwall has no capacity or excess hospitals in case of need such as the 32 beds that were funded this past year.
Greetings:I am writing on behalf of the Concerned Citizens Coalition. We submitted a conditional “Offer to Purchase” (attached) regarding the General Hospital. Our goal is to see that the building be used for the common good and social benefit of the community, with the focus on seniors.There was a similar situation in Barrie Ontario a few years back and, we are proceeding with our issue in the same fashion.We have been informed that the Hospital Board will be making their decision by March 11 and, as stated in our offer, we need administrative and technical support from our Council in order to proceed.Being as our Council does not meet again until March 25, I am requesting that a “Special Meeting” of Council be called to deal with this important issue. Our Mayor and Council need to be made aware of these developments.I am proposing a meeting for this Friday as it is crucial that we have the support of Council. Myself and Josh Welsh are prepared to make a presentation on this matter.We will be asking for a motion stating, the City Council notify the Hospital Board that the City of Cornwall supports our offer in principle.This matter is of an urgent nature due to the time limits that are in place and your cooperation would be appreciated.
Here is the response from the city Clerk, Helen Finn.
From: <HFinn@cornwall.ca>
Date: Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: Special Meeting of Council
To: “Mark A. MacDonald”.Hello,Unfortunately, there are not enough Councillors available to constitute quorum for a meeting on Friday. Therefore, we cannot hold a meeting..Regards,Helen Finn, LLB in law, Quebec,City Clerk / GreffièreClerk’s Department / Département du Greffe
The Corporation of the City of Cornwall
360, rue Pitt Street, Cornwall, ON, K6J 3P9
(613) 930-2787 ext 2537 Phone
(613) 932-8145 Fax
hfinn@cornwall.ca
Q&A Session
So much for the importance of the motion passed by council to support the setting up of a task force to look at this issue. We know that Mayor Bob Kilger is ducking council at this point over his alleged Conflict of Issue matters, but surely six councilors could be found to form Quorum?
Mr. MacDonald sent this to the Hospital Board and City Council as well.
I am writing on behalf of the Concerned Citizens Coalition and this matter relates to our offer to purchase the General Hospital and make sure it remains for the common good and social benefit of the community, with the focus on seniors.My understanding is that the Hospital Board is meeting today at 16:00 hrs, in order to consider proposals for the General Hospital.We are dealing with millions of dollars of public money and it should involve cooperation from all levels of government. This is an opportunity for us to provide a quality place for seniors in our area, for years to come.I had asked for a special meeting with our City Council in order to secure their technical and administrative support for this project and, was informed by the City of Cornwall Clerk that Council needs time to be able assemble a quorum.I am requesting that you postpone your decision until the Council has an opportunity to meet and discuss this important matter.By way of this email, I am asking that the City Clerk assemble the Council at the earliest possible time, in order to consider this matter.I am trusting that this request is in order.
At the last public meeting we spoke with Terry Landon, real estate point man for the sale of this project.
There seems to be a lack of urgency in this situation and the question has to be why as so many have shown concern to protecting the Cornwall General for community services as opposed to simply flipping it for pennies on the dollar to a private purchaser.
What do you think dear viewers? Will the Cornwall General be saved? Should the hospital board grant the Concerned Citizen’s proposal more time?
You can post your comments below.
Hmmm! Can’t meet quarum. They are either doing this on purpose, too busy trying to round up expensive lawyers to protect themselves or both.
PATHETIC!!!!!
KICK OUT KILGER!
People who want to move to Cornwall, especially retirees, might reconsider if the community is not seen as senior friendly. This issue, among others, could have a direct impact on the real estate market. Communities along the 401, such as Cobourg, Port Hope, and others, have developed huge, high-end neighbourhoods to attract boomers. These often include assisted living and/or longterm care options right in the newly built neighbourhoods. Cobourg also boasts a new community hospital. No wonder the area has been among Canada’s fastest growing regions in the past 10 years. It’s called follow-the-money.
Disappointed Council cannot make quorum; protecting the General within our social/medical housing needs is essential!
Straight answer from Terry Landon.
Ooops! Almost forgot to call bullshit on the city’s story. They don’t give a shit about seniors although most are. They still think families are lining up at Lecky’s door to play hockey or bringing young people here with the bullshit cards that the Team handout on their vacations.
Responsible individuals are deemed such primarily for their ability to prioritize. Quite obviously the majority of councilors have much larger issues on their plate tomorrow than deal with the quality of life for seniors of Cornwall today and as we move forward.
To say that the present council is dysfunctional would quite apparently be an understatement. So instead I will merely state that in my opinion Cornwalls’ current administration is an abysmal embarrassment and a colossal slap in the face to taxpayers of this city. What were we thinking last election?
I will be asking the councilors via e-mail what was more important than the issue brought forth by Mark A. MacDonald, although I won’t be holding my breathe for a response from any of them.
Election time cannot possibly come soon enough!
This stinks as usual. I hope for Mark and all the citizens of Cornwall they get the wait of a few more days as Mark is asking for. Why is a rush on this so important because I don’t think the Ministry is telling them to do this now or else. It is probably and more likely that the mayor, administration and councillors already consider it a done deal and don’t want to get involved with the Hospital Boards decision. No money in it for them. Shameful. 599 days
If Bernie Boo Boo could have a phone set up for the conflict of interest meeting then why couldn’t council that could not be present phone in as well? Again, our seniors and city suffer because of the lack of leadership from our Mayor and Council as a whole.
They were elected in and can be elected out,that’s determined by their actions .
From the many whom Iv’e talk to have stated the Second street site is and must remain part of the community.
Council must consider the vast interest in keeping the second street site ,already councils actions have already started to alienate themselves from the public they serve.
You actually spoke to Terry, wow that is impressive. I think I can say with confidence you have just spoken with a future mayor of Cornwall. Grooming has begun.
However Terry
How do you set out a minimum time limit to expose the property yet have it widely exposed to as wide an audience as possible?
Who is in your version of the wide audience?
Grooming talk maybe?
Yes you will receive a fee it is part of the Cameron way, the whole clan has made it’s millions off of people in Cornwall in that manner and they are a silent partner in the stagnation of Cornwall….ya know buying up land and buildings choking the price until better times occur…
The Mayor may have ‘inside’ information from his CCH friends that assures him of other plans and or ‘new’ money coming into the picture that is better assured for the city/CCH than nothing at all from the Health Ministry.
Too bad he won’t be our mayor when the CGH finally changes hands.
Here’s hoping any new buyer would have our thinking for a seniors facility in mind and will have the influences available to see it through.
We have too many white elephants (Pitt and 2nd?) to have yet another.
@Hailey Brown
.
You are one of the many (particularly Jules) who thinks every name that appears is the newspaper is a millionaire. Millionaires take time to ensure that no one knows they are millionaires. This obsession with “rich” people is counter-productive to any progress in the city. Most people earn what they have. Few do it by deceipt. But those few linger behind their oil tanks and M.P.’s.
Kilger will just turn the former General Hospital into another hockey rink. Watch those empty stores and all he will do that as well – the man is brainless and “the emperor has no clothes” – bareass Kilger spent all the money on that cursed “tax mahal” that you call a Benson Centre. Well God is going to prevail because nobody will go to Cornwall. Someone mentioned about Port Hope and other areas that are thriving and that is where good people will go is to the better areas.
I had such good laughs at what Mr. Pat Finnerty said and I said to myself and to my family this man sure is telling the truth and he is telling it to a lot of stupid people who don’t know what he is really saying. People better wake up because you will have no people left as time goes on. Everyone leaves Cornwall.
WOW I know some millionaires and multi millionaires in Cornwall and believe me they got their money through plenty of deceit and fraud. The same thing here in Ottawa and you would be shocked on how they got it. If you look at them you would say: “Jules what have you been smoking – they look like bums” and yes to me they look lower than bums and don’t deserve one iota of respect Kilger and his “clan” included.
I have honor and respect for the ordinary people who do good things and are honest. I can’t stand any of the ones that I mentioned. If all of you only knew what is around you you would all scream and get them out.
The only decent person on council is André Rivette and some people say Maurice Dupelle. I don’t know Mr. Dupelle but I know André for almost as many years as my age. Mr. Leslie O’Shaughnessey was a good man and too bad that he was hurt by that clan just like what happened to André.
Mr. Mark MacDonald would be a good mayor – he is a good person who works hard in Cornwall.
No Kilroy Kilger Bare Ass could not meet the money for the former General Hospital but he could sure meet the money including the stolen money from Willie Wise to go and make that “tax mahal – albatross” on highly polluted land that was never cleaned up and full of cancer to satisfy his rich cockroach friends of his.
The people of Cornwall were not of his concern which includes the elderly who have given so much in their day going through the 30’s Great Depression and WWII, Korea, and so on.
Kilger needs to be thrown out to the wolves now. Don’t be surprised to see the wolves eat him up and spit him out.
There is no honor among thieves.