HCA Broadlands lawsuit dropped, application re-submitted to the Loudoun Board
As rumored, the HCA lawsuit over the BRMC is being dropped as HCA re-submits its application to the new Board of Supervisors:
Broadlands Regional Medical Center is back on the county’s plate, without need of a ruling from the Circuit Court, thanks to a vote tonight by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.
Less than five days before the county was scheduled to go to court with Northern Virginia Community Hospital owners Hospital Corporation of America over the previous board’s denial of a special exception application for the Broadlands Regional Medical Center, supervisors voted 5-4 to authorize County Attorney Jack Roberts to delay the court case while hospital representatives submit a new land use application for the Broadlands project. The trial was set to begin at 9 a.m. Monday, March 10.
The vote ended speculation in recent weeks that the case would be continued following the November election that saw the ousting of four Republicans who opposed the Ashburn hospital and a new application would be submitted to a board expected to be more receptive to the proposal.
This seems, to me, to be a curious move. Scott York has always been a proponent of the new hospital. I have no idea about the rest of them – for certain, anyway – but the tally of the vote to allow a re-submission of the application gives some clue to the level of support. Supervisors Burton, Waters, Delgaudio, and Buckley all voted against the motion, preferring to allow the court case to proceed and a ruling to be made. I think that pretty clearly shows they do not support the hospital at Boardlands, but does all of this this mean that the other 5 do support the BRMC? The only way HCA would think that going through the Board’s approval process again over what will be, as Mark Foust of HCA says, “essentially an identical application” would do them any good is if they’d gotten a fair signal that it’ll get approved this time.
That, or HCA’s lawyers are suddenly having second thoughts about the strength of their case. Although it might be more of a political move; getting approval from the board would allow them to take the moral high ground in a way using a lawsuit to shove the BRMC down everyone’s throats would not.
The arguments against the BRMC get re-hashed in this article, with Inova once again claiming that the BRMC would cause all future medical facilities in the south and west of Loudoun to be wiped off the projected map. A new twist, however, is the Health Agency of Northern Virginia’s commentary that we don’t need a new hospital at all.
Regardless of what the two hospital organizations believe, Dean Montgomery, executive director of the Health System Agency of Northern Virginia, said that region-wide there is not much need for inpatient beds at this time.
“Most of the growth is in outpatient care,” he said. Montgomery said that the county did not need to have the Broadlands hospital “to meet the demand. There’s capacity at Lansdowne, Fair Oaks and Reston.” He added that the moderate increases in need have been “more than offset” by additions to the region’s hospitals.
Montgomery said that a second Loudoun hospital would probably be needed at some point, but that would be years, maybe even 10 to 20, away. “It will depend on the population, how much moves in, the type of people that move in,” he said.
Given the attitude our new Board has, I’m sure there will be considerable efforts taken over the next 4 years to make sure any influx of people will be as close to zero as can be done short of building a large wall around Loudoun (complete with the moat, no less). But I have to ask of people like Mr. Montgomery what they have to say about the documented fact that the HCA Broadlands project has, in their possession, an approved Certificate of Public Need? That certificate, fascinatingly enough, says that the state agency charged with making the decision in such matters said there was a public need for a new hospital. The HSANV position is, and has been, that no such need exists but their contention was overruled by the Commissioner of the State Department of Health after a very lengthy, public, and properly held process was followed. (HSANV even attempted to sue the Commissioner over his finding but lost.) I think the notion that there’s no public need is an opinion without base and one dismissed by people we’ve hired to state employment to make that call.
So, this goes back to the Board of Supervisors. One wonders if this is a good idea. It’s taken years to get within 5 days of a court trial on the matter and now we’re headed back to square one. Well, maybe square 2, but it’s still back to nearly the beginning of the process. I hope we can get this handled before it’s time to run County elections again and someone makes the bright suggestion to start all over once more.
37 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
About
HoodaThunk? has moved to a new location: http://www.hoodathunkblog.com as of April 22, 2009. Please come over and visit us there.
Spotlight
Virginia ’09 Elections
Notice!: Contributions to campaigns of currently seated VA General Assembly members and statewide officers are not accepted while the General Assembly is in session per §24.2-954.
Bob McDonnell
Governor of Virginia
Bill Bolling
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Networks
Blogroll
StatCounter
Ric's Twitter
Ric – Excellent entry – keep up the great work…
Really great post, in fact great site.
Scott York went on record to the citizens of Broadlands saying he would recues himself from this vote. He should keep his word!
The spineless Supervisor from Dulles made it a point during his election to never actually say if he supported the hospital or not. This is the largest issue in his District but he would not speak to it. Reap what you saw people, reap what you saw.
Spin what you must. Spin what you must!!!!
Spin? Please name me one incident when Miller stated his intentions as he ran for office. Just one Dean. One interview, one press conference, one debate, one address. One anything, name just one time. Now spin that Dean, if you must!
The spin was more focused on your implication that Mr. Miller is “spineless” because he doesn’t react to your desires. There are a great many more people in the county than you and the 100 people who supported Snow last time. Give it a rest.
As for Mr. Miller’s win… well, that was probably more influenced by Lambourghani-Gate. People aren’t nearly as dumb as Snow’s crew thought they were.
It’s a gamble that backfired. But the fraud of putting something that blatantly false in front of voters probably earned the “Reap what you sew people, reap what you sew” Award.
Dean you assume much too much. I think HCA should be approved. But, any politician running for an office who won’t speak to the most important issue in his District is spineless. The people deserve to know the intentions of who they are electing.
And you still have not been able to prove me wrong. Show me one time he answered that question when running. You cannot because he did not. Period. Spin on that.
Good. Glad to hear it. Let’s agree to get HCA rolling for the good of the citizens of Loudoun and stop quibling over the small fish that was in the pan. There were so many more large ones during the campaign. At least the man was focused on the 800 lb. gorilla in the county. He did address getting more business and commecial into the county to take the tax burden off of the homeowners, and I consider this to be a big step in that direction.
This is where we have a differnce. The hospital was/ is the 800 pound gorilla in his District. He just never had the spine to answer the question.
Again I say voters have the right to know the intentions of a candidate, esp about an issues so HUGE.
But you say what you must to keep spinning the fact that he did not answer it even when he was ask that direct question in a debate.
The simple fact of the matter is Steve Snow was so despised in his district (and countywide) that Stevens Miller could have said nothing about any topic and still been elected. Snow’s apologists still can’t seem to get this simple truth through their skulls.
The simple fact is this is not about Steve Snow. I know you have a need to make everything about Snow, but this is not. I don’t give a rat’s a** about Sonw.
It does not matter if Miller was elected by one or one million votes. A person running for office should state their intentions for the most important issue in their District. He did not Period.
At the league Debate. Waters and Randall answered the question. Ryan was clueless and Miller danced around the answer, and said nothing. Spineless. Maybe you should stop being his apologists!
I am no Stevens Miller apologist, but once again you prove my point that if it is imperative that he answer the question, and he in fact did not, then he should have lost the election. He did not, he clobbered Snow by 16 points while being outspent 3-1.
If the LCRC had nominated Jey Jeyanathan, this probably would have remained a GOP seat. Snow was a pariah who brought most of the party down with him. You only strengthen my argument that Snow running for re-election was a lost lost cause – even with a huge monetary and incumbency advantage, Snow lost huge.
Do I have a problem with Snow? Damn right I do – that’s what happens when someone files a bogus police report on you. He’s an ass.
Look the fact is the LCRC did not nominate Jay, so all your should have, would have, could have mean nothing to me.
Clearly you have a need to keep talking about Snow. Snow is gone, good riddance. I’m moving on, if you can’t that’s your own issue but don’t try to put it on everyone else.
And the point is not if Miller should have answered the question mealy to win an election. He should answered the question because it mattered to the people he was asking to represent. How can you not get that?
Let’s try this one more time. The people have the right to know the intentions of the person running for office on the important issues. I don’t care who he was running against THE PEOPLE deserved an answer, but then again I have this belief that Government is supposed to be about the people and not just a campaign or an opponent.
I absolutely agree that government should be by and for the people, and that is why I disagreed so much with some of the prior board members. The LCRC didn’t nominate Jey and was clobbered in the last election, for many reasons.
I agree Miller should have given a substantive answer, but again, the should’ve would’ve truth of the matter is he didn’t need to. I would hope that any supervisor would have a substantive opinion on any important matter such as this, but that they would also spend considerable time studying the matter and keep an open mind, especially if contradictory evidence appears.
I have no big investment in this issue, but I hope the board will study it thoroughly, make a vote, and get it over with. I’m sick of hearing about it.
“but again, the should’ve would’ve truth of the matter is he didn’t need to”
No he didn’t if all he was concerned about was this election, but he did if he was concerned about the people.
As far as you being I’m sick of hearing about it.
How about I give you the advice you often give to others. If you are sick of hearing about it, feel free to stop reading. No one has forced you to read or write on this blog. No one forced you to put the post up over on TC about this very issue, and certainly no one asked for your opinion.
You chose to join the conversation.
Not Jeff…Maybe you should stop being Steve Snow’s apologist and all around waterboy.
Your agenda is no longer veiled as an attempt at a conversation. You are resentful. All we have to really ascertain is exactly WHAT your steamed about, friend.
You’re awlful touchy about Snow, and awfully mad at Miller. Is THAT the root of your volcano?
And since you feel perfectly comfortable throwing my name around, what say we have a look at yours?
Didn’t think so.
Getting rid of the developer wing of the LCRC was the big ticket, and it carried the day. This was a very small fish on a back burner, if you apply the context of that time to the problem. It may be important to you, but it simply was not as important as ending the developer-controlled Board during the actual elections.
Now , it has more importance, because the GOBN has been smacked down another notch or two.
Dean, wow you are about four comments too late, but I don’t mind repeating myself. Let’s try it like this,
I don’t care if Miller ran against, Snow, Waters, Randall, Ryan, Kurtz, McGimsey, Buckley, Tulloch, Staton, West, Burke, Delgaudio, Burton, York, Feretti, Mikeman, Higgins, George Bush, Bill Clinton or the Devil himself.
I believe a person running for office has the responsibility to tell the voters their intentions on important issue.
Not quite sure why you all feel the need to keep talking about Snow, quite frankly I could care less about the man. Miller had many chances to state his views. On a stage both the incredible women to his right stated their views, but he refused to. You can make this about anyone you wish. I’m talking about one spineless person, and you Dean still have not been able to prove me wrong. But keep trying and keep spinning.
Just out of curiosity, NJW, did anyone actually ask Miller the question during the campaign?
Ric, yes it was a question from the audience put to all four candidates on stage at the League Debate. The question came from a member of the group that was opposing the hospital. Waters and Randall both gave a direct and clear answer the question. Jack Ryan did not know enough to answer the question (Snow refused to even show up).
Miller did not answer; instead he did a little two step that said nothing. At different venues the question was repeated, and although he never answered his words always indicated that he agreed with whoever was putting the question forward. He played both sides, but never actually said his intentions.
But this is not the only example of Millers behavior. He talked a great game about being willing to work with others and offer respect, yet at the very first meeting he tried to strip Waters of her Chair of the EDC. He was vague on illegal immigration, although he talked as if he would oppose it, yet take a look at his vote on this issue. He talked often about being a financially responsible, but then we find he ran his campaign in dept. Not 1K, 5k or even 15k but over 20k in dept. He was one of only two candidates to run in dept and the only one elected. And several reliable sources tell the same story; Miller has not had the spine ask for the money to retire his dept. On at least two occasions he stood quietly in the back of the room while a surrogate spoke for him and asks for donations to clear his dept.
This guy is a piece….
Jack Ryan was a liar and an absolute disaster of a candidate. I guess he was hemming and hawing about the hospital issue since his daddy, who seemingly ran his life and campaign, is on the INOVA board. What’s hilarious is that Jack and possibly even John were telling HCA reps that they would support BRMC if HCA threw some money their way. Now that’s the real not-up-front campaign, more so than even Miller in NJW’s opinion.
I do think Miller put himself in a box with campaign financing, taking on debt he clearly didn’t need to take on to win. I bet even he underestimated the margin by which he would win. Miller has also made some of the most boneheaded public statements about not making enough money in his new job. Well, he knew the salary when he ran for the position, he needs to learn to balance his life to deal with it. However, his debt pales in comparison to that of Firetti, who is still far in debt to Roherty’s group.
I hope some criticism of Miller makes you happy, anti-me. I wil answer you every step of the way if you’re going to put yourself out as my doppleganger.
Jeff, this is also not about Jack Ryan or his Daddy, but keep talking about who you must and trying to change the conversation.
This is also not about Firetti, who did not win thus will be in no position to make decisions about the county budget, vs. Miller who, because he won will.
You have not so much “answered me” as agreed with me. As far as your “every step of the way comment”
OOOOOOOHHHHH I’M SOOOO SCARD
Look me up on Saturday, orifice.
They OBVIOUSLY overlooked an invitation to put their personal stamp on their beliefs. All the while tossing my name around. I’m not ashamed of my name entering the conversation, but it is odd that they address me, but slide back into the shadows when their identity is requested.
And that has an awful lot of effect on what was said, too. It could be from one of the three cheerleaders who’s involvment will doom the INOVA purpose… or it’s someone who doesn’t feel strongly ENOUGH to put their personal stamp on it. Either way, I dismiss it as someone who is obviously looking to strip context from Miller’s actions in order to do a smear on the man.
I’d dismiss one use as a typo. But using dept as DEBT in four distinct instances kinda explains alot.
Jeff, LOL, wow that’s great, I thought it would take a bit longer to get under your skin.
Dean, say what you must. The fact is you have not reputed one thing I have said about Miller, why because it’s all fact. Spin on Settle spin on.
As far as who I am, I would tell you it’s just more fun this way. Fun at your expense, not a bad days work.
My expense? Hardly….
We could debate handle to handle all day. You chose to call me by name, which is kinda in bad taste, unless you demonstrate the presence of a spine and enter your own name. Getting a rise outta me?? Nope. I don’t really get worked up by cowards who are all talk, but never really ready to back it up. Sorry, but my work of many years required me to deal with those who did back it up. You…..are inconsequential.
You irk me, but you’re not under my skin. I enjoy playing cat and mouse with cretins like yourself, and always come out a winner. Ask some of the others who you’re sick of hearing about how they ended up.
Irked, under your skin, whatever. I’ll call it a win for me.
And I have not said I’m sick of hearing about anyone or anything, the only person who has been sick of anything came from you. Your words:
” have no big investment in this issue, but I hope the board will study it thoroughly, make a vote, and get it over with. I’m sick of hearing about it”.
Gosh this really is fun.
And oh Dean, my identity, keep guessing boy, keep guessing.
Maybe we can have a whole guess NJW like you had the whole guess LI thing. If I remember correctly you were one of the main people guarding LI’s identity, was he a coward?
I knew LI’s identity for many months and would never have revealed it, (your fiend Blackout accidently let that cat out of the bag to me) but LI’s identity is now well known as is yours. You can give it but you sure can’t take it.
But plese keep guessing and calling names, I need the laugh!
Great detective work, there, spineless. In as much as I’ve always used my name on my postings, and only at sometime back in the elections, did I change that to 10FEET to riddle and irk RWN and ….the Shadow… (hey, wait a minute. The nastier you get the more you sound like Roherty, hmmmmmmm) .
I even announced the new handle for all to read. So, there has never been any effort on my part to hide my identity, unlike the loser’s operatives in the last electon series.
All of Loudoun THINKS they know LI….but only a guarded circle does. Blackout may have been pitching you a bone, as I often do, when I want to find out how far “certain” news travels before fully trusting a new ally.
Dean is this really an issue for you, who I am.
Get over it, or figure it out or even better say the serenity prayer to yourself. Since this is something you can’t change you may want to get some serenity about it.
Besides Dean, how much joy do you really need to keep providing me at your expense? As you use to say to others, “I can barely type for laughing so hard at you”
I come in, stir the spoon around the pot once, and leave. It is MY glee to see the beans excite themselves in my absence.
I anxiously await my next logon and the excitation I caused the pot below.
l
l
l
V
Dean, you don’t stir you spin! And becasue you do it so well, please keep coming back, I would miss you if you leave. Now we would not want that would we.
See ya later!
Kee-ripes, folks. I get knocked off the wire for a day and a half and look what happens.
Enough. I know exactly as much about whomever’s ID as I need to and none of the rest of you need to know a blasted thing about any of that. Want to track user ID’s and IP’s? Start your own blog.
Miller chose not to answer the question put to him – I’m taking your word, here, NJW – and yet he was still elected over it. Don’t like that? Take it up with your neighbors. It appears it was no big deal for a significant number of them. Is that right or wrong? For the purposes of this post, it’s irrelevant and you’ll note I’ve not posted on the matter myself. That’s because I, too, find it irrelevant and would prefer not to see my blog sullied up by the hither-and-yon.
In short, folks, I think we’ve covered all the salient points, here, and if we can’t play nice then go play somewhere else. I don’t generally cut off comments at the blog but that’s because I haven’t needed to.
Don’t change that. Good day.
Okay Ric, Sorry bout that.
I was just funning with Dean and Jeff but I really do like and wish to respect your blog. I’ll leave them be.
New post at Tooconservative that may explain the attack pattern on Miller. Not especially a smart move, put lets watch it play out.
Hello. It is test.