If the recent scandal regarding the Catawba Casino Project near Kings Mountain has taught us Cleveland County citizens anything, it is that our high-level officials in Cleveland County Government have taken bribes of one sort or another. And, it any County Commissioner or County Manager has NOT taken bribes and claims to know nothing about it, THEY are too stupid to be in a county leadership position to begin with. So, let’s go from there.
Let’s start with Healthcare.
Around ten years ago, Cleveland County owned a Healthcare system that included Hospitals at Shelby, Kings Mountain and Boiling Springs, a County Health Department as well as Cleveland Pines, a large “rest home” facility.
Then, one day we all heard that the Commissioners had sold our entire Healthcare system to Carolina Medical Services (CMS) for $100 Million. And the Commissioners had financed $77 Million of that amount at no interest with a yearly payment of $3 Million. The last payment is due in 2038.
Previous investigation by Robert found a comparable sale of the New Hanover County Hospital totaled up to around $5 BILLION. Meaning our brave and wonderful commissioners sold our Healthcare facilities for 2 cents on the dollar. A more recent account has surfaced that the Commissioners were offered $700 Million for the Shelby Hospital. By all accounts, that was a firm offer for $600 Million more than CMS offered. More on this later.
Another downside to selling our Healthcare system for 2 cents on the dollar is WE have little to no say in what is done at our local hospital or how it operates.
For instance:
It has been reported to Robert that:
- Commissioner Ronnie Whetstine was recently deathly ill. That Whetstine was taken to the Emergency Room at the Shelby Hospital and his family members that had accompanied him were asked to leave the room. That Whetstine was left alone for a very long time. Finally, Mr. Whetstine, believing he was going to either pass out or die, called 911 from the Emergency Room pleading for assistance. Please, Mr. Whetstine, confirm or deny this account as there are other accounts that are almost this bad-or worse.
- Two women, not together, but brought together into the Emergency room area and “parked” in wheelchairs in an unattended waiting area. The first woman eventually passed out and fell out of her wheelchair onto the floor where she lay unattended until another patient reported the situation to the nurse’s station. An attendant came and loaded the woman back into the wheelchair, took no vital signs and just walked away. Sometime later the second woman passed out and fell out of her wheelchair and crashed headlong onto the floor where she sustained a cut on the forehead that was bleeding profusely. Again, this woman lay unattended until a patient again reported the situation to the nurse’s station. Where he was called a “troublemaker.”
- It was just about time for Robert A’s second colonoscopy when he received, of all things, a notice summoning him to jury duty. The trial would be a medical malpractice case involving a claim of wrongful death regarding a close relative of Shelby Attorney David Teddy. The trial was estimated to last four weeks and Robert Awas one of the first selected to serve. During “voir dire” (questioning of the jury members by the attorneys), Robert A stated that he had previously received a colonoscopy from the same doctors that were on trial and that he was about to make an appointment for a second colonoscopy. But, now, until the case was over, he would probably go somewhere else for the procedure. Ultimately to a Hickory healthcare facility. Then, time for another colonoscopy and endoscopy rolls around, the Shelby lawsuit Doctor had left town and Robert A thinks that maybe he will give the more convenient Shelby facilities another chance. Prior to the actual procedures, there were some tests required and Robert is given some “Hemo-cult” cards to take samples and return them to the Shelby Hospital Labs for analysis. Which Robert did exactly as he was instructed. And even handed the test sample bag directly into the hands of the Shelby Hospital lab technician. And nothing happened. No schedule for the procedures or anything. Robert calls about the procedure schedule and is told that he did NOT return the samples as he was supposed to. Robert informs the Shelby Healthcare folks that the samples had in fact been returned and Robert adds that he had personally placed the sample bag directly into the lab technician’s hands. He was told that the lab technician said that you didn’t return the samples. Robert says “Cancel everything, I am going back to Hickory.”
- And, who knows how many more are out there.
Folks, from the above information it certainly appears that there are problems with corruption and “don’t give a damn attitude” in Cleveland County leadership. And NO WAY presently to address them. It is also possible that there are ways for the citizens of Cleveland County to RECLAIM some of what was once actually ours to begin with. But pissed-away by corrupt county leadership.
Robert A believes there is strength in numbers and if enough taxpayers that are fed up with the status quo can “find” each other and put our heads together, perhaps something BIG can be done.
As a start, Robert is requesting that those taxpayers that are fed up with corrupt county leadership AND have complaints about Cleveland County Healthcare facilities, to contact Robert A in a confidential manner and let’s get together and discuss our options.
As they say, nothing ventured-nothing gained. We have been divided and conquered for too long now. And $Hundreds of Million$ may be recovered.
Robert A’s Contact Information: (Please Contact as soon as possible.)
Robert A. Williams
PO Box 428
Fallston, NC 28042
Telephone: 704-538-8257
Email: raw@shelby.net