Hospital employees urged to lobby lawmakers

Email sent out to Bristol Hospital employees by the hospital president, Kurt Barwis:

Dear Bristol Hospital Employees,

As you know, there has been a tremendous amount of recent activity at the Capital in Hartford surrounding the proposed partnership between the University of Connecticut Health Center and Hartford Hospital. There are three bills that will be going before the Connecticut state legislators for a vote within the next two days regarding this proposed partnership, which includes the rebuilding of UConn Health Center’s John Dempsey Hospital.

1.      Senate Bill 800: An Act Concerning Funding the Fringe Benefit Differential for Employees of John Dempsey Hospital at the University of Connecticut Health Center  which would authorize the Comptroller to cover the cost difference between the state fringe benefits rate and the average fringe benefits rate of short-term acute care hospitals.

2.      House Bill 6335: An Act Concerning the University of Connecticut Health Center Facilities Plan that would require a study of issues concerning The University of Connecticut Health Center facilities plan.

3.      Senate Bill 833: An Act Authorizing Bonds of The State For Capital Improvements And Other Purposes, which includes up to $25 million in FY10/FY11 for planning, design and construction of a new or renovated facility.

 Collectively, this entity would be known as the University Hospital, and, if authorized, will receive nearly one billion dollars in state funding. This partnership and a replacement hospital will have a devastating impact on Bristol Hospital and the Bristol community. We are asking for your help in contacting the key decision makers and our local legislative delegation immediately to let them know that we oppose these three bills and ask for their support when these bills come before them.

 Attached please find a draft of an opposition letter that we are asking you to add your name to the end of the letter and email the letter to the following key leaders in the House and the Senate, as well as copying our local delegation:

 Christopher.Donovan@cga.ct.gov  Representative Christopher Donovan

Denise.Merrill@cga.ct.gov – Representative Denise Merrill

Daily@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Eileen Dailey

Hartley@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Joan Hartley        

Looney@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Martin Looney      

Williams@senatedems.ct.gov - Senator Donald Williams

Harp@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Toni Harp    

Harris@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Jonathan Harris

 Please copy (cc) in the following email addresses to our local delegation so that they will know where we stand on these bills.

 Betty.Boukus@cga.ct.gov – Representative Betty Boukus

Frank.Nicastro@cga.ct.gov – Representative Frank Nicastro

william.hamzy@housegop.ct.gov – Representative William Hamzy

john.piscopo@housegop.ct.gov – Representative John Piscopo

Christopher.Wright@cga.ct.gov – Representative Christopher Wright

John.Mazurek@cga.ct.gov – Representative Corky Mazurek

Joe.Aresimowicz@cga.ct.gov – Representative Joe Aresimowicz

Zeke.Zalaski@cga.ct.gov – Representative Zeke Zalaski

Demetrios.Giannaros@cga.ct.gov – Representative Demetrios Giannaros

Beth.Bye@cga.ct.gov – Representative Beth Bye

Colapietro@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Tom Colapietro

DeFronzo@senatedems.ct.ct.gov – Senator Donald DeFronzo

Kevin.Witkos@cga.ct.gov – Senator Kevin Witkos

Sam.Caligiuri@cga.ct.gov – Senator Sam Caligiuri

 There will also be copies of letters in the cafeteria for those employees who would like to sign the letters in person. We will deliver them to the State House. If you have any questions, please call Carlo Luciano at ext. 3864 or Mary Pat Caputo at ext. 3524.

 Thank you,

Kurt Barwis

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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com