Master negotiator, Jerry Jennings:
"It's an indication that they want to continue to grow here, and we should do everything we can to make sure that they do," Jennings said. "We've got a state that's taking jobs away from here. And on the local level, I have not seen many institutions making a $360 million commitment.
"They're not obligated to do that," Jennings continued. "They could just pack up and grow somewhere else."
[...] And he cautioned lawmakers against sending the wrong signals.
"They're not doing anything (to help the city) by sending a message that we're anti-development," Jennings said, "and that's what we're doing now."
Apprentice negotiator, John Rosenzweig:
"What are we going to do" asked Councilman John Rosenzweig, who represents the 8th Ward off New Scotland Avenue, "impose a residency law on a medical center?"
Fellas. It's not like you need to be antagonistic about things. But are you looking out for your own city, or are you just throwing up your hands and saying "let 'em do whatever they want!"?
Never mind. Asked and answered.
That area is going to be a suburban office park, wedged into an urban area. It won't be walkable, it's not mixed use. But Albany Med and BBL get what they want, and that's what's important here.
Update: For *%^$'s sake, Jennings was an educator, was he not? Have someone edit your letters, dude.
Albany Medical Center can do better than that:
ReplyDeleteThe Constantine Institute
102 Willett Street
Albany, New York 12210
518-465-4413
TerryONeillEsq@aol.com
www.constantine-institute.org
11 August 2010
James J. Barba
President and CEO
Albany Medical Center
43 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York 12208
Dear Mr. Barba:
I enclose copies of two letters I wrote to you last year relating the death of Kyleal Avery in the AMC Emergency Room last September. I have not to date received any response from you or from AMC.
The Albany Common Council has created an implementation team to find ways to bring to fruition the recommendations that the city’s Gun Violence Task Force developed for our community in recent years. Among those recommendations is to “continue to work with Albany Medical Center to establish a hospital-based violence-prevention program based on models represented by programs at Rochester’s Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong and the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore”. As my letters to you indicate, I have called on Albany Medical Center to move forward on this initiative.
The implementation team will have its monthly meeting later this month. I’d like to be able to report to its members that I have received an encouraging response from you.
Yours truly,
TERRY O’NEILL,
Director