The city needs to create a community task force to help ensure Bristol Hospital’s long-term success, said Republican mayoral hopeful Mary Alford.
“A community task force needs to be established now,” Alford said Tuesday. “There is no time to waste. Hopefully, this is in the works at City Hall.”
“Our strategy needs to create a head wind to proponents of the UConn plan, as they will likely be doing the same. A best defense is a strong offense; we need a plan and we need it now,” she said.
But Mayor Art Ward, a first-term Democrat who is seeking reelection, said there’s no need for a task force.
“We work very well with the hospital” already, Ward said.
The mayor said there are many “direct links” between the city government and the hospital, including his own position on the development board of the hospital.
Bristol Hospital dodged a bullet this year when the legislature rejected funding a plan to create a new $500 million hospital to replace the aging John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington.
The University of Connecticut and Hartford Hospital, working in conjunction, sought the project as a way of ensuring the university’s medical school could thrive while preventing the annual deficits racked up by the existing hospital.
Bristol Hospital executives lobbied hard to defeat the proposal, claiming it would snatch away some of its patients and leave it with a poorer, smaller pool to draw from, which could endanger its viability.
The city’s entire legislative delegation opposed the UConn plan, which died in the Senate last week.
But state Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose 78th District includes a portion of Bristol, said he’s sure the issue will return to the table next year because the state can’t afford to continue subsidizing UConn’s hospital.
Hamzy said he would gladly serve on a panel to help figure out how to tackle the problem in a way that would treat other hospitals, including Bristol’s, more fairly.
Alford said the Senate’s decision to kill the plan this year means Bristol Hospital “survived a challenge to its existence.”
The plan “could have a serious impact on community health needs as well as employment in Bristol,” she said, and deserves close scrutiny.
Ward said the community is already fighting to help Bristol Hospital.
“There’s a certain redundancy” to creating a task force to focus on the issue when it’s already a key plank in the city’s agenda, the mayor said.
Ward said the hospital can already count on the support of every segment of the community.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
22 comments:
Steve,
That is like saying that Art (Ward) and Art (Mocabe) differ.
Let`s stop talking about things that people don`t care about what is the Mary going to do for this town that are other mayors have Not this town can`t keep going BACKWARDS.
It should be obvious to everyone (even you 6:01 AM) by now that Mary isn't capable of doing much more than make stunningly lackluster comments on things that the mayor should or shouldn't have done, and she's usually wrong.
Ward's ego is as big as his stomach. Ward should be very careful about flauting his ego around town like he is somebody. I heard there was a civil suit coming out on him. Steve any truth to this?
Heard that too.
Is that why the republicans are so cocky?
"flauting his ego."
Yah, "ego flauting" should be illegal! Don't you just hate it when people flaut their egos? While we're making ego flauting illegal, maybe we should make stupid illegal too...let's start with 10:31 AM!
Lets start with 11:44am - obvious you are a ward butt kisser. But if this is true about Ward - his integrity is questionable.
11:44
A Flautist is one who plays a Flute.
A Flute is a wind instrument.
Hot air makes wind.
Case closed.
I guess if the election can't be won on the issues, one can resort to starting baseless rumors to try and smear someone - good thing that 10:31 has this blog to crawl behind.
You are 100% correct gutless...sad little people like 10:31/12:31 always resort to name calling, childish insults and nasty little rumors because they're not capable of factual, intelligent argument. Kinda reminds you of being in third grade, doesn't it?
Hey 10:31 a.m.,
Ward can always lose weight. Unfortunately for you...stupid is forever! LMAO ;0)
1:13pm well we shall all see when it happens I suppose. Stay tuned.
***Prediction****
On November 3, Ms.Alford will announce that she will be a candidate for mayor in 2011, just like Ken Johnson did.
Judging by the level of stupidity of these comments and the level of stupidity of the Bristol Democrats, one must assume all of these comments come from the aforementioned group.
Am I wrong?
With all that beer drinking I doubt Ward can lose weight.
Yes!
9:16 AM, Yup, you're wrong.
9:16 AM, Read the comment following yours. Does that answer your question?
I don't think Mary's idea regarding the hospital should be discounted. Bristol Hospital plays a large role in the health and well being of this community - remind you, of over 60,000 people. That's a big responsibility, that for the most part they have handled well. If they are at risk of being compromised, the City should take a proactive effort in creating a task force that is prepared to handle any interruption from the State's mission to expand UCONN. It's important to remember that Brisol Hospital also has primary medical control over our ambulance service, which is crucial to timely emergency response since our fire department isn't medical first response. There are many factors that need to be considered.
In my opinion, the City should have a committee prepared to deal with any State interruption of services. It should include EMS leaders, City officials, Bristol Hospital officials and St. Francis officials, since they are all tied together.
Keep up the good work Mary. You are a proactive thinker. Something this City hasn't had for a long time.
Bring Stortz bacl!
Mary, get real!
The issue is dead for now, get elected and THEN you can do something about it.
But, your current efforts are not convincing many people.
They are interested in the budget, their taxes and services. That is todays concern. Address it!
"Judging by the level of stupidity of these comments and the level of stupidity of the Bristol Democrats, one must assume all of these comments come from the aforementioned group.
Am I wrong?"
Doesn't this sound like the republican party ?
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