We are getting a rush of post election bad news about the nursing home. All of it could have been avoided if our attorneys, Steve Beckett, and Denny Inman had done their jobs. Of course the timing on this was very strange. Why wait until the day prior to the election to ask for an alteration in the Certificate of Need that was necessary as far back as July or August and which was known about in April?
Well, I received today a copy of the notes from a meeting on August 2, 2006 between Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board representatives and our attorney, Neville Bilimoria, Denny Inman, and Steve Beckett. At that meeting, it was discussed that fines would be coming our way. I have been to two County Facilities meetings since this August 2, 2006 meeting. At none of them were possible fines against us discussed. I can't find mention of this in the minutes.
For over three months, we have known that we were looking at possible fines for this project, yet Steve "look in the minutes, listen to the tape" Beckett never told the public or the board about it.
This explains why Beckett and Inman waited until after the election to do what should have been done in May. Delaying the request for an alteration also delayed the bad news about fines until after the election.
Maybe Mr. Beckett is right. This has been about politics all along, the politics of getting him reelected.
This is REALLY deplorable. The people of Champaign County deserve better.
It has alwas amazed me how somtimes the voters radar is simpley turned off. George Ryan, Blogo and a few others this election cycle come to mind.
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How does this happen?
Beckett only has power in the next two years if Republicans put him or his puppet Wysocki back in leadership. Eleven of 15 Dems made it clear yesterday that they won't support Wysocki/Beckett for Chair/Vice-Chair, but it looks like Greg Knott still might. What will it take for Republicans to finally dump these two??
Is anyone going to the Facilities Committee Meeting Tuesday at 7 am. I don't even know where it is taking place, but I hope someone (like the press) is there or at least that the meeting is recorded so that anyone could later FOIA a tape of the meeting.
OK, Mark, we get it. In your opinion, which appears justified, Beckett has not been forthcoming. Maybe because of his ego, maybe for re-election, although imo that is doubtful. He wouldn't do all this to get elected to a position he doesn't need, takes up way too much of his time, and causes him so much grief, all for $45.00 a meeting, not much for a man in Beckett's position, but for whatever reason, what has happened has already happened.
Isn't Beckett soon to be removed as Facilities Chair? Why do you continue to attack him, including personally? What is your plan for the future? Instead of being so negative about others, why not tell us of your positive plans, what should be done, instead of what shouldn't have been done?
You've got to be kidding RC. This is an outrageous situation and most people are very happy that Mark is the watchdog/whistle blower on an expensive series of mistakes. Stop trying to keep the lid on. This is public information (or should have been) and public dollars. If it wasn't for Shelden, we wouldn't (nor would board members) know about this information. And it ISN'T OVER.
A position Beckett doesn't need? Pleeese. He RAN for the seat. He doesn't get a pass because he is a well known local attorney.
"to a position he doesn't need, takes up way too much of his time, and causes him so much grief, all for $45.00 a meeting,..."
Your hero worship (and others in the county) is showing and it has proven costly to taxpayers.
It's no hero worship, Beckett has made a lot of mistakes, but instead of just running Beckett (and Inman) down, what is the positive approach?
I grow weary of the negativity. I want to hear what plan is contemplated by Mr. Shelden. It's easy to criticize. What is the plan offered by Mr. Shelden to get this straightened out?
To me, it's kind of like the national democrats criticizing the war. Easy to do, but what's the better plan offered, or is it just criticism? And if it is just criticism, what is it borne from? Dislike? Fear? Just cuz Beckett's a Dem, just because the Beckettcrats didn't work out so well for the Republicans, just what? If it's just the interest in the Nursing Home, what is Mr. Shelden's plan?
And btw, I pledged to not devolve into insults. "Hero worship" used this way is an insult. Please don't personally attack posters.
Thank you.
RC,
You ask too much from sheldon, it's not his fault, he's too busy digging up new spin on Beckett and Inman, has to blog new thread, political phone calls and e-mail to answer, another new thread for pundit, etc..... Oh, and there is that job @ the county clerks office????? After all, the mastermind of the CB district 9 republican campaign, just the most upstanding citizen in the whole county, is just the messenger!
Chuck, there is no call for that. I merely want to know what positive plan to open the Nursing Home may be offered, instead of just attacks, however justified they may be thought to be.
I am trying to be positive here, and I am trying to bring out positive statements about what can be done, rather than what bad has been done.
Chuck - what's your solution? What have you been doing to help open the Nursing Home? You're in a position to do something, right? Didn't you just get re-elected?
It is difficult to weigh in on a specific plan of action when the information needed to evaluate the current situation and develop a "game plan" is not/ and has not been forthcoming or reliable. Until the cards are on the table no one knows the hand that has been dealt. We still do not know the scope , nature, or extent of the "agreement" to use the moldy wood and remediate or whether that included an indemnification / hold harmless agreement. We still do not know who authorized or approved this agreement. No one- other than the Board, acting as a Board, had authority to amend the Board's approved contracts. Notably in the letter posted recently by Mark the only specific reference is to the architects - they didn't agree to use moldy wood- we do know that. opening the nursing home is one issue. Holding those responsible for the millions in additional costs and the potential liabilities is another. The County Board needs to attend to both. Taxpayers did nothing wrong. Those responsible should be held accountable. Open government is just that - open. It is long past the time when the truth should have been told. Concealing it will only further erode the opportunities to begin to fix the harm that has been caused.
Bob Kirchner and Mark Shelden in the same camp. Who woulda thunk it?
The very definition of "politics makes strange bedfellows".
But, what is the plan to open the Nursing Home?
Quit rippin', start telling us, what is the plan?
RC. let me answer some of your questions.
Isn't Beckett soon to be removed as Facilities Chair?
I hadn't heard that
Why do you continue to attack him, including personally?
I think Mr. Beckett has continually said that every question I have uttered has been politically motivated. He has never once acknowledge that my questions of that those of other board members are worthy of his answering. I'm not sure what you call a personal attack here. But I know that he has attacked me personally on numerous occasions.
What is your plan for the future?
I hope that Beckett and Inman are removed from their positions of authority which they have abused.
Instead of being so negative about others, why not tell us of your positive plans, what should be done, instead of what shouldn't have been done?
What should be done? People who made mistakes should tell us what they did wrong. There should be a full time line for the events that led us here. We should proceed immediately to put us in compliance with state regulations instead of seeking declaratory rulings that are likely to fail. We should put every single document dealing with this project on line and if the County does'nt want to do that, my staff will gladly undertake that task. The quarterly testing for mold in the nursing home should be posted on line. Our various consultants should be on hand to answer for their conduct in this. We shouldn't get every bit of information filtered through Inman and Beckett who have demonstrated that they don't value the truth.
In terms of getting this project done sooner, I can't say that I can offer a whole lot. But I certainly don't want to see these two managing our next project.
RC, here is one question I would ask tonight if I was on the board. We are asking for a declaratory ruling. Are we also taking steps that ensure that there are no unnecessary delays if that declaratory ruling fails? What is the cost of asking for the declaratory ruling?
From what I have gathered in talking to people who work on these permits for a living we are likely to lose this dec ruling. Also, it seems that if we do, we are going to be forced to apply for a supplemental permit. The first step on that is to submit a Letter of Intent. That should have been done in May. It must proceed the application by 60 days. So if we delay and don't sent the LOI until December 21st after the HFPB hearing, then we have cost ourselves another month.
By the way, Mr. Beckett could have offered answers to all these questions this morning. But there was not one bit of explanation about this process.
One other thing RC. If our attorneys are getting bad info from the County, then fire Inman over that. If our attorneys gave us bad advice, fire them.
..."I merely want to know what positive plan to open the Nursing Home may be offered, instead of just attacks, however justified they may be thought to be."
..." I am trying to bring out positive statements about what can be done, rather than what bad has been done..."
Isn't the positive plan to start TELLING THE TRUTH to the public and other board members? Again, what can be done? Be honest and don't belittle your colleagues (Beckett's MO). And isn't that exactly what Shelden has been calling for?
Remember, this isn't Mark Shelden's house of cards, it's Beckett and Inman's.
Chuck, I know some disagree, but I think we do a pretty good job at our office. 60% of the voters do as well. As to the stategy in district 9, you're correct that it wasn't enough. Which strategy to take the County Board did you prefer? The one from 2000, when we lost, 2002, when we lost, or 2004 when we lost?
As to exposing the wrong doings of Beckett and Inman, it's just flat out the right thing to do. Go ahead and disagree. But I'm not stopping because Beckett and Inman's friends want to hide their incompetence.
Chuck seems to be a bit on the bitter side. I wonder what help he provided to gain back the county board? Not much, I'm guessing. It's always so fun (and easy) to sit back and whine and bitch instead. And you're so good at it too.