During a public hearing Monday night, Ellwood City Council voted to advertise an amendment to the zoning ordinance and map regarding the Ellwood City Medical Center.
A formal vote to create a zoning district could come as early as the May 20 council meeting. The only speaker during the meeting was Benjamin Steinberg an attorney representing 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.
Steinberg speaking on behalf of Penn Med LLC, expressed opposition to the zoning district. He said it is 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. “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 have come under fire recently over claims that employees and vendors have not been paid in a timely manner.
Council and the solicitor should have done this months ago instead of giving this con artist breaks on the electric bills and the borough taxes! Mr White should have been investigated way before the purchase of the hospital but he pulled the wool over the hospital boards eyes along with everyone else.