Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2014 16:51:27 -0500
From: “Tom Glendinning”
Subject: Chatlist #4888 – Hospital plus
First, I am truly happy that the Chatlist has reached its 4888th publication. Isn’t that a wonderful and enduring gift to us? To free speech?
Second, the post by Pat Lloyd seems to have some issues.
“Of five health care institutions bidding for the right to build the nursing care center authorized by the 2013 State Medical Facilities Plan – UNC Health Care was turned down – along with four other bidders.”
Brings to mind the “fuzzy math” of previous presidential campaigns. The winner was a magical sixth bidder. And so it goes.
In actuality, the process is an over-regulated part of state government called the “certificate of need,” regulated by the Division of Health Service Regulation, CON Section. Without that permission, nothing happens in medical service delivery. The CON is basically at state regulated monopoly sold to us in the mid-1970’s for the purpose of containing health care (HC) costs. Please check your insurance premiums bills since 1974 to see if that promise came true. I think you’ll find that the state run and managed quota system has only increased costs well in excess of any quotable COLI, COLA or other government statistic on HC dollars. Its logic is that fewer facilities under government management will control costs much better than the normal private sector principle of competition. But I digress into one of my favorite topics.
There could be no bid on that hospital without the CON permit to proceed. The bid is not for building it, or planning for it. The bid is to get state permission in the first place. So the private sector takes it in the ear again. In any case, I do hope that some medical facility is permitted and will be built in Pittsboro. We could use the jobs.
Third, as to guarantees, I am aghast at that requirement. Do you have a guarantee that the day will be sunny and warm? Will someone guarantee your happiness? Your employment? That you have a roof over your head? Food on the table? Make house payments? I would love to live in that land too, but fear that I would give up to much of what our forefathers fought to build.. Our god has not even promised these things. You must be describing a socialist or communist state. But wait, they failed too. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to settle for a life in which my success depends on me, my circumstances and the freedom to pursue my dreams. What a letdown.
I will guarantee one thing. If our economy expands because of Chatham Park, there will be more jobs. That happened in the 1970-1990 growth period in North Carolina. If population growth is any indicator, the county grew by over 100% since then. People are not dumb. They do not move to a poor county with a failing economy.
Fourth, the URL given is the portal to the Dept of Health and Human Services home page and has no info on the proposed hospital. To find out about the granting of the CON, you can start with the DHSR licensed facility page and dig deeper for approved facilities, not built ones. http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/
Fifth, thank you, Kish, for the clarification. We have existing regulations and laws. The Lawrence Group presentation Monday night revealed the work necessary to bring the town’s regs up to date in order to negotiate the modern development proposed by Preston Group. The town board needs some improved guidelines to manage this one-of-a-kind, largest in the state model subdivision. Even to call it a subdivision is inadequate. It will be a town, except for the charter. Slamming it with words like “ticky-tacky,” row house, overpopulated, or environmental nightmare is a low ball tactic to attract the people who are genetically or behaviorally disposed to criticize most any progress or change. But any port in a storm will do. Won’t it?
Sixth, the approval by the town will require education of the board, the planning board, and staff. The town will have to improve its own performance and regulations in order to field the application from Preston Group. Cary responded and received the benefit of the growth. Frankly, I would rather see the population forecast for Chatham over the next thirty-five or forty years in one development than onto parcels totalling twenty times that acreage without any infrastructure or planning to support them. The town will respond with the appropriate measures to ensure proper oversight.
Seventh, it’s a matter of quality too. Individually built homesteads or small subdivisions could not nor will not produce the quality of development that Preston will deliver. My own modest dwelling would not be permitted there. And frankly, as I age, I would rather mow 1/10th acre of grass, or none, than the five acres I now have. I would welcome the easily accessed community of a subdivision rather than the neighbors living a thousand feet away, out of earshot or view. I have a feeling that the inhabitants of the new development would feel the same way. That is why we have Fearrington, Briar’s Chapel, Chapel Ridge, The Preserve, Legend Oaks, Galloway Ridge, Monterrane, Westfall, Governor’s Club, Governor’s Village, Henry’s Ridge, Colvard Farms, The Estates at Laurel Ridge, The Bluffs, Shively/Banner, The Glens, and Harris Subdivision, to name a few. These examples are all well planned, well built subdivisions and are a credit to the county. Thousands of people live in them. But, if you don’t want to live there, guess what? You don’t have to.
Tom Glendinning
“It takes an intelligent fool to make things bigger and more complex……….. It takes a touch of genius to move in the opposite direction”
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.–Wayne Gretzky