Ellwood City Council will vote August 19 to amend the hospital/medical district zoning ordinance that they originally passed in in a unanimous vote on May 20.
They will vote to add to the definition of “Health Services” “facilities and residences included in a continuum of care entity.”
Borough Manager David Allen said the wording basically boiled down to nursing homes.
Solicitor Ed Leymarie said the move will resolve an appeal filed by Penn Med LLC, a lender who is seeking a more than $5 million judgement against Americore Health LLC, Ellwood Medical Center LLC, and Ellwood Medical Center Real Estate LLC.
During a public hearing in April, Benjamin Steinberg an attorney representing Penn Med LLC expressed opposition to the zoning district. He said it was his client’s opinion that the zoning would be an “unconstitutional taking.”
“Multiple confessions of judgement that were entered into the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas are still active,” Steinberg said during the April hearing. “However my client, at this time, has not yet executed on them. With that said, it is not my clients intention to foreclose on the hospital. Penn Med’s main goal is simply to get paid what they are owed by Americore.”
The hospital’s future came into question soon after it was purchased in 2017 by Americore Health, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based privately held company that specializes in acquiring and managing rural hospitals. Americore and Ellwood City Medical Center were under fire for months over claims that employees and vendors have not been paid in a timely manner.
Here we go again!
Well it looks like Borough Solicitor and Council are putting their tail between their legs again. Stand firm on the Ordinance that was passed and don’t give in to Penn Med. We don’t need a nursing home we need a medical facility to benefit all the citizens in the Borough. Maybe we need a new Solicitor with some backbone!!! Because we all know we need some backbone in Council!!!
Thank you for deleting my previous post. You ask for comments but you delete my opinions. Just because my opinion doesn’t agree with yours you delete it. I personally think my previous comment was deleted because it was the TRUTH. Our Solicitor has no backbone, he never did and never will. I can count on one finger how many cases he has ever won for the Borough. Our Council passed an Ordinance and they should stick to it and not give in to Penn Med. Obviously the TRUTH HURTS!!!!