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Monday, June 8, 2009

City Club Pleas for More Money to Fight Children's Hospital

Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 1:46 PM

Having exhausted its coffers, a community group is asking Laurelhurst residents for $100,000 to continue its legal fight against the growth of Seattle Children's Hospital. Spokespeople for the hospital say they need to accommodate 350 more beds for sick kids over the next 20 years. But the Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) has spent $34,900 on legal fees over the last two years attempting to scotch those plans.

"Unfortunately, the expense for our attorney and consultant have far exceeded LCC's budget, and we need to raise $100,000," LCC president Jeannie Hale writes in a letter sent to every household in Laurelhust. The letter arrived Saturday. "We need your help now to cover our costs and to get ready for the next steps," Hale says.

Contacted by phone, Hale explains that the LCC needs the money to pay off its legal debt and to continue advocating that the city restrict the hospital's expansion, but she did not know what those future steps would be. The group has argued that Children's overestimated its need for new beds and that a larger hospital would adversely impact nearby neighborhoods.

Already, the neighborhood group has delayed the hospital's plans by appealling the project. In April, City Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner—agreeing with portions of the LCC's arguments—required Children's to provide more analysis on the impacts of housing and local building regulations. "Although the process has been expensive, it has been worth it," writes Hale. She points out that LCC's lawyer "was outnumbered three to one" by the hospital's attorneys.

Hale's letter accompanied an envelope for donations and a form that suggests contributions ranging from $250 to $5,000.

Comments (22) RSS

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Damn those sick kids, don't they have the common decency to die out of sight of my golf course?

Posted by Urgutha Forka on June 8, 2009 at 1:51 PM

That's a lot of money to spend fighting against sick kids.

Posted by Banna

on June 8, 2009 at 1:51 PM

To Hale and LCC: HA HA HA

Posted by Phenic on June 8, 2009 at 1:52 PM

Good. Maybe they will go the fuck away now.

This is why the moment a candidate mentions working with or listening more to neighborhood groups my desire to support them goes down appreciably. Just because they are named after a neighborhood doesn't mean they represent the interest of even a substantial minority of the residents.

Posted by giffy on June 8, 2009 at 1:55 PM

Greedy snobs.

Posted by PC on June 8, 2009 at 1:59 PM

greedy, greedy, selfish, stupid elitists.

standing in the way of an incredible and explanding org like Childrens = WTF????

oh, and U-Village = TOTAL CRAP.

Posted by ricknw on June 8, 2009 at 2:21 PM

Try not to think of the children!

Posted by Christin on June 8, 2009 at 2:25 PM

Did you know that, because of neighborhood complaints, Children's lands their helicopter at the UW stadium parking lot for "non emergencies" so that the neighbors don't have to hear the sick kids being flown in. Makes me sick.

Posted by Brenwah on June 8, 2009 at 2:40 PM

It's almost as if Seattle and the region was going to grow or something ... can't they leave the old whiny folks along so they can yell at the dying kids to stay off their lawns?

Adapt. Or die.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on June 8, 2009 at 2:47 PM

I think I'll do something about this in my own little way. I'll call the hospital and ask them if they need community support. This is NOT just a Laurelhurst issue, this is a Seattle issue. Time to stop calling people names and start doing something.

Posted by Sargon Bighorn on June 8, 2009 at 2:49 PM

HAHAHAHA

Tough titty, underfunded NIMBY bitches. As if their war chest was going to beat that of Children's Hospital.

Posted by tiktok on June 8, 2009 at 2:55 PM

People could always donate money to the Shriners hospitals instead of to this crazy group of NIMBYs. They're looking at having to close six hospitals that give free care to sick and injured children all over the country because their endowment lost a third of its value last year. It's really sad.

Posted by Electra on June 8, 2009 at 2:55 PM

This makes me want to become a lawyer. I could represent NIMBY groups as ineffectively as plausible, overbill, and drive them into the ground.

Posted by Gus on June 8, 2009 at 3:45 PM

Wait: This doesn't make any sense:

Hale claims that her legal team got outgunned by Children's, yet she spent $134,900 on attorneys!!! ($34,900 in the past year, and a request for $100,000 to cover the hole she's created?) That doesn't sound like a lack of legal representation. It sounds like their arguments pretty much sucked!

Who is hell is making decisions over at LCC!?

I sincerely hope that their members look into this insane (truly insane) misappropriation of their club's resources. If that group's Trustees let this financial circus happen, they better get personally lawyered-up, because someone should drag your selfish asses to court (and, if warranted, jail!).

Posted by Zok on June 8, 2009 at 3:52 PM

I hope Tiny Tim kicks their priveleged asses.

It is also amazing that there are apparently no lawyers in Laurelhurst willing to pro bono the work.

Posted by Zander on June 8, 2009 at 3:55 PM

If the Hospital needed to move, of course it could take out ten square blocks from the middle of Cap. Hill - who would care?

I like the hospital - neighbor hood groups are largely shit birds, all of them.

Ms Hale is determined if nothing it seems, and should find a better issue to advocate about.

Posted by Sam from the Hill on June 8, 2009 at 3:56 PM

@16 - actually, the height limits up there might not work out.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on June 8, 2009 at 4:18 PM

Wow, LCC can't set a budget? It's 100 large in the hole?

Incompetent greedy snobs.

Posted by PC on June 8, 2009 at 7:15 PM

Dominic,
What an outrage: a community group seeking its lawful claims under land use laws. The Stranger disagrees, so off wit their heads! Any development cant' be too big so long as they take bikes to work!

Posted by Stranger to legal system: drop dead on June 9, 2009 at 7:29 AM

The outrage is that this "community" group overstates its representation to create a veneer of populism. The outrage is that the group changes its bylaws (without notifying members) to restrict participation, reduce transparency and decrease accountability. The outrage is that this community group conducts most of its substantive business is secret sessions. The outrage is that this group perverts the spirit of the law, and bends the letter of the law, to arrest any progress that doesn't suit their selfish interests. The LCC has been coddled by the media in this town, and finally the Stranger has had the sense to call bullshit on this so-called representation. There isn't a shred of authenticity to the argument that the community didn't have proper input in the planning process. LCC's claims are a cynical, pathetic (and ultimately fruitless, albeit expensive) attempt to delay and frustrate sensible growth initiatives across the city.

LCC is getting its ass kicked and it has been spectacularly exposed. Good luck try raising money on that basis!

Posted by Zok on June 9, 2009 at 8:48 AM

asdasfaw

Posted by Forensic Accountant on June 9, 2009 at 1:19 PM

I live in Laurelhurst and got one of Hale's pleas for cash, in the mail a few months ago.
Instead of writing a check to LCC (which I will never, ever do) I wrote a check to Seattle Children's and included a nice note, thanking them for all their good work on behalf of these beautiful kids.

They save lives, they improve lives. They give their all for every child and family that walks through their doors. God bless 'em.

Posted by Keep Bulding The Miracle House on August 14, 2009 at 3:00 PM