While Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis is celebrating CarePoint Health’s effort to convert to a nonprofit entity, Council President Sharon Nadrowski is taking this opportunity to again speak out against eminent domain on the local medical center land.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“From day one, I have remained steadfast in my belief that the City of Bayonne must always have a hospital that is responsive to the needs of our residents,” Davis began in a statement released this morning.
“CarePoint’s conversion into a non-profit will allow the residents of Bayonne to continue having the broadest range of quality healthcare services made available to them. I look forward to working with CarePoint to ensure that the needs of our community continue to be met.”
CarePoint, who owns the BMC, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, and the Hoboken University Medical Center, said this week that they are planning to become a nonprofit organization that will still be run by their CEO, Dr. Achintya Moulick.
CarePoint founders James Lawler and Vivek Garipalli, the latter who is now the Clover Health CEO, along with their affiliates, will lead the effort to transfer the interests of those hospitals into the new entity.
In the Peninsula City, Davis, who is seeking a third term in May, has been pushing for a $95 million eminent domain proposal on the BMC land.
However, the city council tabled two measures that would move the plan forward back in May, rationalizing that the Local Finance Board must approve it first – which they’ve declined to do at several subsequent meetings.
Since the local legislation is a bonding ordinance, it would require four affirmative votes. Nadrowski has continually said she will oppose the plan, while 2nd Ward Councilman Sal Gullace has to abstain since he sits on the BMC board.
“I only ever had two goals: 1) To ensure quality healthcare for the residents of Bayonne. 2) For the city not to incur any debit for a private enterprise. It has always been my position that the city should have never been involved as it was dispute between two private corporations,” Nadrowski said in her own statement this afternoon.
“With this announcement, I would hope the mayor and rest of the council will support me next time I call to vote down the hospital bond ordinance. In my position as council president, I will continue to watch to make sure that CarePoint delivers on their promises to the Bayonne residents.”
While Nadrowski has not revealed her plans for next year’s non-partisan municipal elections, she is widely rumored to be a challenger to Davis after running with him in 2014 and 2018.
