THE DRAFT MUHLENBERG CAMPUS RFEDPORT

10:30 AM;Please forgive the incomprehensible error loaded document first posted. In a hurry to write and post it I was again used Dragon to dictate. Obviously I was not know as Dr, Mumbles without a reason and Dragon like the Word automatic spell checker has a mind of its own. I thought I had proof read the article in its Word incarnation but obviously something happened when posted. Please call my attention to any errors that I have still missed, or created. 

Mayor Mapp made two miscalculations Thursday. The first is was a robust  robot call at 7 AM about the night’s meeting, without consideration that not everybody is awake at that hour. The first thought when the phone rings is that something has happened to a family member.

The city phone notification system is a great service but some sensible consideration must be given to the people who subscribe. Not all of them are up and raring to go at 7 AM.

The second miscalculation was a number of people interested enough to attend the draft zoning and usage preparation for the Muhlenberg campus site by the consultants. In this instead of 200 that they had provided seating for there were at least 400 and the audience in the divider between the two parts of the cafeteria had to be open and more chairs brought in.

The consultant's PowerPoint presentation was interesting;  One of their early remarks was that they understood that the people were against the apartment complex idea. They recommended dividing the campus into two parts one containing the present Kenyon house and the nursing flexible.

The remainder of the campus was to be after preservation of the "historic buildings" part in your of a complex obtained including a medical mall and other conforming usage. There and there was a proposed building for veterans residency more or assisted living units at the West Eastern end of the property, and also a small residential units building on the southwest corner of Randolph and Park. This part of the plan met with vociferous objections from the audience.

The public was asked to comment on the draft plan. Many asked questions, others made comments. I decried the lack of a reference or provisions for at least a short term acute care hospital with obstetrical and psychiatric facilities which are sorely needed in this communication. Such a hospital also have to have capability of acute emergency surgical procedures as well as treating acute heart attacks or incipient strokes. I did point out that such a hospital would have to be a commercial enterprise. I also pointed out but unfortunately not clearly enough that such a hospital would be the nucleus for a medical mall.

The public does not realize that the day of the independent medical practitioner who practiced as an individual or in a  group is long gone. The latest statistics show that about 60% of physicians are either salaried or members of a group partnership. Many of them are employed in either capacity by hospitals. Under those circumstances the hospital could be essential in the presence of a functioning in medical mall.

I also mentioned to take into consideration that no nonprofit group or municipality has the wherewithal to operate such an establishment.

Since the property is supposedly owned by JFK who will not tolerate a hospital there some methodology will have to be found to obtain it. It may also be necessary to a title search to the original deed and any other legal deeds to see if their ownership is valid.

In early July I posted a blog* suggested a citizen’s commission to investigate all possibilities. To date I believe that has fallen on deaf ears.

* http://dpotpourri.blogspot.com/2014/07/needed-hospital-task-force.html