NYC Speaker Christine Quinn Yelled Down March 10 outside PS 41 prompts meeting at City Hall on March 13 by Tim Lunceford

MY TAKE ON THE MEETING FROM MY NOTES by Timothy Lunceford

A “Scream-fest” by Village artist/blogger Suzannah B. Troy directed at NYC Speaker Christine Quinn on March 10 outside PS 41 prompts meeting at City Hall on March 13.

A meeting was held today at City Hall with Christine Quinn in her two roles, as Speaker and  the leader of the 51 member New York City Council and as the elected representative of her home district, Manhattan CD 3 on Manhattans west side.

Civil Rights lawyer, Norman Siegel, arranged the meeting with the Speaker’s office after Suzannah B. Troy's direct confrontation the previous Saturday as an open forum to discuss current happenings surrounding the Rudin-St. Vincent’s ULURP process and  LIST OF DEMANDS  LIST OF COMMUNITY TALKING POINTS TO SPEAKER QUINN addressing the growing community concerns  in the aftermath of the hospital closing. 




Attending the meeting were activist members of the Demand a Hospital and Hands Off St. Vincent’s groups, Timothy Lunceford, Barbara Reuther and artist/political blogger, Suzannah B. Troy. 

The interchange between Speaker Quinn and the community representatives was cordial and informative. Camera and recording were not allowed and lasted about 45 minutes.

The visitors to City Hall asked Speaker Quinn to elaborate on comments and a stack of documents on the table, after a staffer earlier in her absence indicated the Speaker misunderstood the community attacks on her doing nothing for a  Hospital. The floor was open to Speaker Quinn.

Speaker Quinn’s History

Speaker Quinn stated that she wanted to assure that her record in the fight to save St.Vincent’s Hospital were clearly known. She will provide a detailed timeline document showing her specific efforts. Ms. Quinn said these efforts included Governor Patterson’s temporary salary support for employees, searching for other hospitals to take over. Ms. Quinn said the death knell was 1) when an East side hospital found that the residency training program had been canceled for SVH and 2) the coffin nailed shut by GE Capital’s to hold a  hard line for the $800,000 debt owed.

Then Speaker Quinn stated: She knows that the closing of St. Vincent’s will go down as her biggest career failure that will follow her for the rest of her life.

TOWN HALL MEETING

A request was made to the Speaker to hold a Town Hall meeting about the loss of St. Vincent's , the Rudin plan and the need for a community hospital. The Speaker said she would consider it. She indicated at this time she did not want an adversarial meeting with the Community.

NYC FDNY/EMS Response and Delivery Time

Speaker Quinn stated that she would obtain and forward the information about ambulance pick up and arrival times since the closure of St. Vincent’s Hospital. This information was promised at a meeting by the FDNY on July 20, 2011 The meeting is also on video tape.  Repeated requests have been denied. Such information is critical for the community residents to assess the status of access to services since the hospital closed.  

March 6 Public Hearing:

Why was there inadequate space for the number of people waiting to get into the hearing with such long waiting times that people left were unable to wait in the cold while others had preferential access?

Ms. Quinn stated her announcements for the March 6 2012 hearing all clearly said 9:30 a.m. We never encouraged anyone to come early as it is the policy to admit only at the stated time. A staffer even blurted out "we did not ask people to arrive that early." The impression received was that the Speaker’s office did not consider it appropriate or helpful for the community activists’ posting public encouragement to arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. One person who arrived at 6: OO a.m. was left to stand in line while others arriving after him were signed in and entered. (Name will be provided upon request).   It was brought to the Speaker and staff member that at Previous City Planning meetings the Rudin's had paid construction staff to attend and "STACK" the main meeting room.   Arriving at 7:50am Timothy Lunceford indicated there were over 100 construction members in line at 250 Broadway ahead of most community members. While all the construction members were allowed to enter over 200 community members were left out in 28 degree weather and barricaded in by NYPD in an overzealous manner for elderly and disabled community members.

Timothy Lunceford had information that a security guard had suggested that people in line could assign one person to represent their group to get into the hearing and then send the others home as reported to him after the meeting ended.

Why was more space not available for this historic meeting and the large numbers anticipated to attend?

Ms. Quinn stated that the Council Chambers room was under renovation and that the required video and audio equipment was not in service.

Speaker Quinn stated that the space provided was adequate and that she had heard no problems about accommodations or about the elderly and disabled in the rooms that day. 

The community does not accept this position by Speaker Quinn.  

The 911 incident

The incident reporting that an individual had collapsed outside the hearing and a delay in response to a 911 call made was discussed. 9 calls to 911, reports to 250 Broadway Security Staff, and a NYPD officer approached.  A staff person stated that records for that day had been researched and none were found for this event and an EMS call to the site. It is unclear what happened. Suzannah B. Troy said 911 call could be foiled.  


Here is video re: 911 http://youtu.be/zut0lspWNf0 right after the 75 year old man collapsed.

Speaker Quinn’s office contacted the 1st Precinct and said the 1st Precinct said no 911 call occurred.  It is agreed that there is confusion if more than one incident occurred outside 250 Broadway that day.

Can Access to Hearings for the Public be improved?

Speaker Quinn will follow-up on the confusion about the roles of specific guards and others on duty responsible for maintaining order on March 6.

Mr. Siegel asked if the policies for access could be made fairer by allotting and designating specific areas/sections for the opposing sides on an issue. An example used was 50% for, 50% against a proposal used in other meetings for speaking and access to said meeting.  Speaker Quinn said she would take this suggestion for fairer public access under advisement.

Speaker Quinn stressed that the members of the community do not necessarily have to attend and could always submit written testimony or statements.  Mr.Siegel observed that it is generally known and agreed, that many individuals are not comfortable with writing or access to a computer, but will readily come to make a verbal statement to express their viewpoint in the democratic procedure. Because of this preference, space accommodations are important to encourage the fullest community participation in the public sphere as possible and clearer information about an upcoming meeting to the community.  

                                   

What is her position on the current Rudin-SVH ULURP?

Speaker Quinn stated “I have not made up my mind yet”.

How is the community coping now?

The community is aware and has serious concerns, especially because of the lack of a Trauma I center and the lack of pediatric specialties and fragmented care. What are the low-income minorities to do that live in her district as Miguel Acevedo had stated at the previous Saturday Press Conference outside St Vincent's Hospital over the undemocratic nature of the March 6 meeting. These include the untimely death of a young man well known to the community in the Fulton Houses who was stabbed and shot and died on the way to Beth Israel. AIDs patients have been forced to seek care all over the City. 

REMOVE ...Additionally, there is the Chelsea neighborhood non-English speaking low-wage earners who have problems with the complexities of accessing care now that the hospital and its coordinating support services are gone. 

The Rape Center is closed at SVH for male and female victims.  Statistics show that Rapes in the area have increased according to Mr Acevedo's speech. The elderly are not connected easily.  Many physicians have relocated out of the SVH area. And with 450 apartments that means an additional 1,000+ Adult and children residents living in luxury without a hospital. It was also noted that the community does not want the tanks removed from the triangle park for future hospital developments at O'Toole.  Quinn staff indicated they knew nothing about that and would check it out.

It was also noted that the west side was victim of 9/11 and there have been credible threats to other west side venues still exist or have been stopped in time before harm and the need for a trauma one Center in the Full Service Hospital if a terrorist or biologic attack occur.

Speaker Quinn said she is concerned about the health care needs of the community, and feels that follow-up needs to be done with  NorthShore/LIJ Community Assessment done earlier.

Will there be an effort to include adding 3- 4 floors to the O’Toole Building to bring a full service hospital facility back to the community.

According to Speaker Quinn this is not under consideration at this time

How is the community coping now?

The community is aware and has serious concerns, especially because of the lack of a Trauma I center and true Emergency room and the lack of pediatric specialties and fragmented care. These include the untimely death of the young man well known to the community in the Fulton Houses, the NYC 9/11City worker hero on 14th Street having a heart attack, and Dario, an immigrant hit and run, all who died on the way to Beth Israel Hospital Emergency Room.  Timothy Lunceford related his own experiences as a 2 time heart attack and Cancer survivor, who with an allergy attack had hypotesion on Canal Street and it took 33 minutes by cab to reach Beth Israel hospital without traffic in a NYC Cab. It was also noted that NJLIJ already reports that 10% of those entering the new center cannot be treated and will have to be transported to another Full Service Hospital by Ambulance, which could be life-threatening with the delay of transport.

Speaker Quinn said she is concerned about the health care needs of the community, and feels that follow-up needs to be done with  NorthShore/LIJ Community Needs Assessment done last year. (Note: Hunter/CB2/NSLIJ Needs Assessment was just published today in a peer review journal.)

It was stated by the Hands Off St Vincent's group that the community will continue to fight for a Hospital/Trauma Center/ER until one is in place on the West Side of Manhattan. Speaker Quinn said she and other elected officials would also work to get a new hospital, just not right now.

Timothy Lunceford said "1 life lost because of this delay in a full service hospital is 1 too many on the west side of Manhattan."

Chris Quinn said she had another meeting to attend.  (the 30 minute agreed meeting had wound up at 45 minutes. It was agreed that all parties would follow up with information sharing and getting a new hospital.)


Note:  Thanks to Timothy for in non-stop dedication to the community and this battle.
Thanks and gratitude, Suzannah B. Troy
http://suzannahbtroy.blogspot.com/2012/03/suzannah-troy-norman-siegel-and-some.html


Norman Siegel's moving speech at the Press conference around the corner from the school where we found out Christine Quinn was giving out awards.


Also note from Suzannah: The NYPD were respectful and an officer helped me when I asked him to call 911.  My problem was with the security from 250 Broadway who refused my request to allow the most fragile people on line immediate access inside!  One security guard did not even believe the man collapsed because he was on the ground and surrounded so the security guard could not see him.  The NYPD were too large in number but Mother Teresa compared to 250 Broadway security.