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HEALTHSYSTEM
SM
February19,2009
TheHonorableRashidBurney
CityCouncilPresident
CityofPlainfield
1127WatchungAvenuePlainfield,NJ07060
DearCouncilPresidentBurney:
IthascometomyattentionthatthePlainfieldCityCouncilheldahearingonFebruary17
regardingthePlainfieldRescueSquad.Severalblogrecountsofthatmeetingsuggestthatsome
Councilmembersand/ormembersoftheRobinson-BriggsAdministrationindicatedthatSolaris
HealthSystemisobligatedtoprovidethePlainfieldRescueSquadwithadditionalambulance
servicesbasedona"handshakeagreement"betweenSolarisandtheCitylPOPlRestore
Muhlenbergtosettleapendinglawsuitappealingthedecisiontocloseacutecareservicesat
MuhlenbergRegionalMedicalCenter.Iamveryupsetbythesecommentsandwouldliketoset
therecordstraight.
Asyouknow,myofficecontactedtheRobinson-BriggsAdministrationlastOctoberwithan
interestinsettlingthependingCNappealoutofcourt.TheCitypresenteduswithalistof
nearlyadozendemandstosettlethislawsuit.Solarisverballyagreedtosubstantiallyallofthose
demandspendingawrittenagreementandspeedywithdrawalofthelawsuitbyallparties.We
draftedthewrittenagreementreflectingourunderstandingoftheagreeduponterms,whichwas
forwardedtotheCityAttorneyonOctober31.TheCityAttorneyrespondedonNovember5
indicatingthattheMayordidnotapproveofthesettlementagreementandpromisedtoforward
suggestedchangestoSolariswithinaweek.
Fromthatpointon,theCityAttorneyandtheMayorstoppedreturningtelephoneoremail
inquiriesaboutthestatusofthesettlement.Whenapproachedinpersontodiscussthesettlementontwoseparateoccasions,theMayorclaimedshewasunawareofthestatusofthenegotiation
andpromisedtofollowupwithindays.Wereceivednoresponseforalmostthreemonths.Finally,onJanuary26,nearlythreemonthsafterwewerescheduledtofinalizeour"handshake
agreement"tosettletheMuhlenbergCNappeal,myofficereceivedanewsettlementproposal
fromtheMayor'sofficewhichincludedseveralnewprovisionsthatwerenotdiscussedlastfall.
AffiliatesofSOLARISHealthSystem
JFKMedicalCentereMuhlenbergRegionalMedicalCenter
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JFKJohnsonRehabilitationInstituteeNewJerseyNeuroscienceInstitute
TheWomen'sAuxilaryPavilioneJFKHartwyckNursing,Convalescent
ESt
RehabilitationCenters
<11
MuhlenbergSchoolsofNursing,
MedicalImaging
ESt
TherapeuticSciencesMediplexSurgeryCentereDiabetesCenterofNewJersey
@
WhisperingKnoll-AssistedLivingCommunity
65JamesStreet,P.O.Box3059,Edison,NewJersey08818-3059(732)321-7000www.solarishs.org
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