I wrote yesterday about Julia Rietz and the attorneys she supports. I’ll add a little more perspective later on the outrageous fees they’ve charged us overall. But today I want to focus just on the costs associated with the fine from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.
If you recall, last year the County Board learned that they would be subject to fines for failing to inform the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board about changes they made in the Nursing Home project after it was approved. I predicted that it would happen a year earlier and even suggested on more than one occasion that our legal counsel was not doing a good job for us. In my mind, they were the primary cause for our fine for their failure to properly inform us of our obligations under the new rules as well as to give us sound advice about the old rules.
For a year and half it’s been clear to me that this firm was in over their head. They claimed to be experts but weren’t. Even hiring someone away from the HFPB didn’t seem to help us. So the idea that somehow their incompetence would result in us paying $50,000 seemed ridiculous.
At the County Facilities meeting on Tuesday, we were tol that we have apparently reached a deal on the fine with the HFPB. It will be discussed at the full County Board meeting next week.
But perhaps the most outrageous part of this whole thing is what we are going to pay to try to get out of this fine. In the months of November, December, January and February, Duane Morris had already charged us $26,529.42 to try to fight the fine. That figure doesn’t include probably another thousand or so dollars in the October billing that appears to be related to our compliance problems. And it doesn't include the amount they are going to bill us in March, April and May for the completion of this whole mess.
So we're likely to have legal fees in excess of $30,000, perhaps even $40,00. Plus, we’re likely to still have to pay a fine. It is very likely that the total package will exceed the original fine.
But no one should be outraged, no should ask questions, and certainly no one should think they’re out to get us.
So after Rietz decided to replace Duane Morris with Phebus for the mold litigation, why did she then utilize their services for the HFPB situation? Does anyone at the county ever take responsibility for anything? Have Beckett and Rietz made any effort to have the clearly excessive billings from Duane Morris reduced? Seems like Rietz gets irritated about any questions about her decisions as being just political. Maybe she should skip the defensiveness and just fix the mess. From what I read, the county's financial situation could use a little help. Avoiding unnecessary legal bills would be a good place to start.
I was only bankrupt twice in my life, once when I lost a lawsuit, and once when I won a lawsuit.
Also remember this, the legal profession is the only profession that employment of one of that profession guarantees another from that same profession a job.
Who I am, is who I want to be...
Rex Bradfield
"But no one should be outraged, no should ask questions, and certainly no one should think they’re out to get us."
I agree. Once we've voted these people into office, we should leave them alone. When they come up for election...then we get them.
I heard Julia Rietz on the radio last week complaining that the county board members shouldn't criticize the legal services she hired. It was disturbing to say the least. The lawyers seem to think they can charge an arm and a leg for whatever time they say it took them to do whatever work they say they did.
Mark as I have been following this whole nursing home thing pretty close,,,it just seems to me that many people in county government just dropped the ball. A basic ignorance of how the state works is evident across the board...I cannot understand it, a private citizen like me can get on the DHS website,,,contact an employee and get all of the response and info I want about the Champaign County Nursing Home. Was it, that Inman,,,,Beckett,,,,Rietz or whomever was involved just could not admit they did not know all or see all? A few phone calls to Springfield with a sincere tone of ignorance, and I believe the fine would have been withdrawn, but no one over there could drop their ego. These legal expenses should never have been accumulated, never,,,,,was no real need for any lawyers really. Same thing with the Medicaid payments,,,I cannot believe they would run a nursing home with no one having any experience in DHS,Medicare,etc. Heck if I can do it,,,,,surely someone over there one thecounty payroll can do it!!! I have had Mr. Buffenbarger tell me something to mislead me, then I just contact DHS and find out,,,,what kind of game are they playing? No matter I guess, it is about over now anyway. Damn Shame,!
Bruce
Amen
Who I am, is who I want to be...
Rex Bradfield
On May 15th, 2008 at 10:47 AM, Bruce Byrd Was it, that Inman,,,,Beckett,,,,Rietz or whomever was involved just could not admit they did not know all or see all? A few phone calls to Springfield with a sincere tone of ignorance, and I believe the fine would have been withdrawn, but no one over there could drop their ego. These legal expenses should never have been accumulated, never,,,,,was no real need for any lawyers really. Bruce, Beckett is a lawyer, so is Reitz, They are already way, way,wayyy above everyone else! also that's why they are sending the business to the "out of town good ole boy network" wink wink, I will admit I do not know about Inman or Buffenbarger, You are correct about the huge egos, Beckett doesn't wear a hat because He can't find one big enough ! they should be adult enough to say they don't know how to turn the CCNH around, or at lest stop the bleeding of a hundred G's a month . But back to reality, they will most likely send a couple of hundred grand to some far off consultant to tell them what they already know. Hey what the hell it's only taxpayer money.