Hospital to give Hackensack $1 million payment
Hackensack University Medical Center has agreed to pay its hometown $1 million for permission
to build its new cancer center, the city manager says.
{I thought this was a donation, now its a payment, Hmmm....}
The one-time payment isn't the only offering to the city. The hospital will also make annual
payments of about $250,000 for the air rights for pedestrian bridges over two city streets and
will permanently take over the city's paid ambulance service, a move that will save the city
$600,000, City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono said. {Air Rights, Air Rights, for a four story building,
are you kidding me??? How would you like to be handed a NO BID CONTRACT after making a
donation/payment.....There are more stories then you think, no pun intended!!!}
The four-story cancer center and its 975-space parking garage are a major project for the
hospital, which has expanded rapidly over the last 15 years, sometimes despite the opposition of
its neighbors. In the case of the cancer center, nearby apartment dwellers objected to the size
and proximity of the parking garage.
The new center will bring together services that are now spread around the hospital, including
diagnosis, doctors' consultations, radiation oncology, chemotherapy infusion, a laboratory, and
a patient library. The estimated $135 million in construction costs will include $85 million in
borrowing and $50 million in contributions. {Please read the article written by this reporter
published in the Feb. 20th edition of the Record on HUMCs finances. Do we want another
Pascack Valley on our hands??}
Hospital and city officials signed a "developer's agreement" on Feb. 26, after months of
negotiations, listing various concessions by the hospital and obligations by both sides. The
agreement was negotiated by the city manager, on behalf of the mayor and council, after the
Board of Adjustment approved the plans in February 2007. {So the Mayor and council were
never present for any part of the negotiations the City Manager took upon himself, is this what
they are saying??? Who's on the Board of Adjustments???}
Besides the $250,000 annual payments and the ambulance service, the concessions include an
agreement by the hospital to give the city, through a 99-year lease, 120 parking spaces in the
new garage. The hospital agreed to fund a study a year after the cancer center opens, to see if
a traffic light is needed at a nearby intersection. And the hospital agreed to reimburse
thousands of dollars in engineering and other fees for amending the tax map and connecting its
new facilities to the city's storm drain. {They don't mention that the revenue that the 120 parking
spaces generate will be given to the City. Is this another form of Bribery, you decide. Where are
the Concessions for the CITIZENS of Hackensack, what will a 120 parking spaces do for you???}
The 10-page agreement, signed by five officials, does not refer to the $1 million one-time
payment, though Lo Iacono insisted it was a done deal. {Didn't they read the agreement before
they signed it? Oh I bet it's a done deal!}
"I apologize," said Lo Iacono. "We went round and round on various issues for six months. I think
in this last version they forgot, and just ended up leaving it out." {Let's see, what else have they
left out or forgotten in this DEAL??? I'll tell you; THE CITIZENS OF HACKENSACK, THE 8
HIGHLY TRAINED, DEDICATED, EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL EMTS}
Hackensack Mayor Jorge Meneses, who signed the agreement, on Friday said he had no details
about it and that he could not confirm the $1 million payment. {How do you sign a contract that
has been negotiated for 6 months and not have ANY details or knowledge of a $1 million dollar
payment!!! WOW!!!}
Besides Meneses, the agreement was witnessed by the city attorney, Joseph C. Zisa. Robert M.
Koller, vice president for corporate and facilities development, signed on behalf of the hospital,
and Joseph Sanzari, a member of the hospital board of governors, was his witness. It was
notarized by Joseph A. Ferriero, the Bergen County Democratic leader whose law firm
represents the hospital before city planning authorities. {Do any of these names sound familiar
to you.}
An amended version, with the $1 million payment, may need to be signed all over again, Lo
Iacono said.
"The million dollars was basically a payment -- not in lieu of taxes -- that they'll be making to the
city to provide for so many other costs involved in something like this," Lo Iacono said, referring
to the scope of the project. "There is not a decision yet on how we're going to use the million,
but that'll be our decision." {I can tell you where that million is going, back into HUMCs
pocketbook, one way or another.}
Hackensack medical center did not provide an official to comment on Friday. {With a story this
big, I wonder why a HUMC Official didn't comment on this}
Lo Iacono also corrected earlier statements about the number of EMS workers who will be laid
off when the medical center takes over daytime ambulance services in the summer. Eight, rather
than seven, union positions will be eliminated, he said.
E-mail: washburn@northjersey.com
Hackensack University Medical Center has agreed to pay its hometown $1 million for permission
to build its new cancer center, the city manager says.
{I thought this was a donation, now its a payment, Hmmm....}
The one-time payment isn't the only offering to the city. The hospital will also make annual
payments of about $250,000 for the air rights for pedestrian bridges over two city streets and
will permanently take over the city's paid ambulance service, a move that will save the city
$600,000, City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono said. {Air Rights, Air Rights, for a four story building,
are you kidding me??? How would you like to be handed a NO BID CONTRACT after making a
donation/payment.....There are more stories then you think, no pun intended!!!}
The four-story cancer center and its 975-space parking garage are a major project for the
hospital, which has expanded rapidly over the last 15 years, sometimes despite the opposition of
its neighbors. In the case of the cancer center, nearby apartment dwellers objected to the size
and proximity of the parking garage.
The new center will bring together services that are now spread around the hospital, including
diagnosis, doctors' consultations, radiation oncology, chemotherapy infusion, a laboratory, and
a patient library. The estimated $135 million in construction costs will include $85 million in
borrowing and $50 million in contributions. {Please read the article written by this reporter
published in the Feb. 20th edition of the Record on HUMCs finances. Do we want another
Pascack Valley on our hands??}
Hospital and city officials signed a "developer's agreement" on Feb. 26, after months of
negotiations, listing various concessions by the hospital and obligations by both sides. The
agreement was negotiated by the city manager, on behalf of the mayor and council, after the
Board of Adjustment approved the plans in February 2007. {So the Mayor and council were
never present for any part of the negotiations the City Manager took upon himself, is this what
they are saying??? Who's on the Board of Adjustments???}
Besides the $250,000 annual payments and the ambulance service, the concessions include an
agreement by the hospital to give the city, through a 99-year lease, 120 parking spaces in the
new garage. The hospital agreed to fund a study a year after the cancer center opens, to see if
a traffic light is needed at a nearby intersection. And the hospital agreed to reimburse
thousands of dollars in engineering and other fees for amending the tax map and connecting its
new facilities to the city's storm drain. {They don't mention that the revenue that the 120 parking
spaces generate will be given to the City. Is this another form of Bribery, you decide. Where are
the Concessions for the CITIZENS of Hackensack, what will a 120 parking spaces do for you???}
The 10-page agreement, signed by five officials, does not refer to the $1 million one-time
payment, though Lo Iacono insisted it was a done deal. {Didn't they read the agreement before
they signed it? Oh I bet it's a done deal!}
"I apologize," said Lo Iacono. "We went round and round on various issues for six months. I think
in this last version they forgot, and just ended up leaving it out." {Let's see, what else have they
left out or forgotten in this DEAL??? I'll tell you; THE CITIZENS OF HACKENSACK, THE 8
HIGHLY TRAINED, DEDICATED, EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL EMTS}
Hackensack Mayor Jorge Meneses, who signed the agreement, on Friday said he had no details
about it and that he could not confirm the $1 million payment. {How do you sign a contract that
has been negotiated for 6 months and not have ANY details or knowledge of a $1 million dollar
payment!!! WOW!!!}
Besides Meneses, the agreement was witnessed by the city attorney, Joseph C. Zisa. Robert M.
Koller, vice president for corporate and facilities development, signed on behalf of the hospital,
and Joseph Sanzari, a member of the hospital board of governors, was his witness. It was
notarized by Joseph A. Ferriero, the Bergen County Democratic leader whose law firm
represents the hospital before city planning authorities. {Do any of these names sound familiar
to you.}
An amended version, with the $1 million payment, may need to be signed all over again, Lo
Iacono said.
"The million dollars was basically a payment -- not in lieu of taxes -- that they'll be making to the
city to provide for so many other costs involved in something like this," Lo Iacono said, referring
to the scope of the project. "There is not a decision yet on how we're going to use the million,
but that'll be our decision." {I can tell you where that million is going, back into HUMCs
pocketbook, one way or another.}
Hackensack medical center did not provide an official to comment on Friday. {With a story this
big, I wonder why a HUMC Official didn't comment on this}
Lo Iacono also corrected earlier statements about the number of EMS workers who will be laid
off when the medical center takes over daytime ambulance services in the summer. Eight, rather
than seven, union positions will be eliminated, he said.
E-mail: washburn@northjersey.com
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| FROM THE BERGEN RECORD MARCH 8, 2008 |