Extortion.
That’s the word Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko used on Facebook to describe her reaction to a story stating that Mayor Steve Bach will “actively oppose” leasing Memorial Health System to University of Colorado Health unless he is given authority to appoint the board of a foundation that will disburse the proceeds of the lease.
On a Facebook post, Czelatdko left the following comment:
“ex·tor·tion/ikˈstôrSHən/
Noun:
The practice of obtaining something, esp. money, through force or threats.”
On her own Facebook wall, Czelatdko wrote a similar comment:
“Can we say ex·tor·tion/ikˈstôrSHən/
Noun:
The practice of obtaining something, esp. money, through force or threats.
Synonyms:
blackmail – exaction
No wonder why people dont trust in elected officials.”
Czelatdko did not immediately return a call for comment.
Since the initial story was first posted online, Bach has clarified that his sticking point is that there needs to be a fixed plan to oversee the money from the 40-year lease before the proposed lease goes to voters.
“My support of this lease is subject to my concurrence with City Council on how to segregate and manage the lease proceeds,” Bach said.
Read the latest story by clicking here.
What the mayor and council and everyone else in this community needs to remember is that the money from any lease agreement of Memorial Hospital needs to be returned to the community in some form of health services. That does not mean city parks and trails and pools and golf courses, streets, bridges or stormwater solutions.
Give me a break! The city council lets the ceo of Memorial Hospital walk away with 1.15 million and now they oppose our Mayor trying to install safeguards so it won’t happen again ! Time for the city council to grow up or get out!
I don’t care about the politics, let’s just get to the point that Lisa Czelatdko is freakin’ hot. For real.
dit·zy adj \ˈdit-sē\
Definition of DITZY
: eccentrically silly, giddy, or inane
Well, there you have it. It’s in the dictionary, by golly, so it must be so.
Lisa C is definitely both eccentric and inane. If the definitions fit, you must admit.
PSST: Lisa — an IF-THEN proposition does not automatically constitute extortion. Extortion implies a consequence to which the purported extortionist is not otherwise entitled. For example:
IF you do not pay protection money THEN the extortionist will damage your business property = extortion (because the extortionist IS NOT otherwise entitled to damage the property).
IF you fail to clean up your toys THEN you cannot go to the park ǂ extortion (because the parent IS otherwise entitled to withhold the park privelege from the child).
The City Council is not otherwise entitled to Mayor Bach’s approval of the Memorial deal; ergo, it is not extortion if they fail to meet his condition for granting said approval.
My favorite example of extortion, though, comes from the Stormwater Enterprise threatening liens against homes for not paying the tax…er, fee.
“My favorite example of extortion, though, comes from the Stormwater Enterprise threatening liens against homes for not paying the tax…er, fee.”
Since you brought it up, I hope the deadbeats get triple taxed for not paying their Stormwater fees.
I read this story on my radio shows; I support Mayor Steve all the way on this. Naturally, there will be those who object–and they who do are wrong. I love the fact the our Mayor just doesn’t roll over and take crap. This makes him a leader. Keep it up, Steve!
Eleanor Roosevelt and Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, both of whom were people of great accomplishment, said, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” Here we have Councilwoman Czelatdko discussing people again. You connect the dots.
Better solution is to have the Mayor AND City Council work together to appoint such a Board. That’s how it is done in grown up cities. This may not be full blown extortion but the Mayor being the only person to appoint this proposed board is a problem.
Mayor is praised for not taking crap by some of you but Councilwoman Lisa is insulted for saying enough of king Bachs bullying. Checks and balances are for a reason.
Amused, you idiot. Lisa c is not ditzy. She’s got brains and isn’t gonna roll over for Bach and all his cronies. I’d take having a Councilmember willing to stand up for what’s right then hide in the shadows. You probably think like our mayor that if a woman acts up its ok to put her in her place or insult her. Idiot.
Well that’s not what you said mr mayor. You said you would “actively oppose” the lease if you don’t get what you want. That’s a threat however you want to spin it.
EEEEeeeeeeeoooooooooooom
[The sound of the point flying over the top of Amusednotsomuch's head]
Oh good; the debutante from the Broadmoor is back. I’d missed reading yet another story about Lisa’s Facebook-based tirades; I’m glad that my Friday ended with this nugget.
I used to think that if Lisa spent 1% of the energy that she spends criticizing other people on ideas of her own, she might actually get something done. Now, I’m starting to consider the very real possibility that she doesn’t have that ability at all. The score of the criticism-vs.-original-ideas game must be 350k to 1.
Oh well. At the end of the day, life’s easier when you stand on the sidelines and tell the players what a bad job they’re doing. Timid soul, indeed. Enjoy your one term in office, Lisa.
Please someone give a free ticket to Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko so she will go somewhere until the next election so we can just dump her…what an unabridged idiot!
I support the mayor on this one. Lisa may be attractive, but she is the dumbest blonde in town. Embarrassing!
Maybe we should save them all the bickering and just vote NO on the whole Memorial give-away.
Rude comments seem to be the thing for today. What the article does not say, and should be the point, is that the ‘foundation’ should be chosen by both Bach AND council. Lisa is fine, and those who state otherwise should run for council themselves. Huh? Don’t have time? Don’t have the money? Then shut the hell up….
BACH SHOULD BE RECALLED!
Mrs. Czelatdko again shows us what little substance she brings to any debate. How is it that a member of the one group who could have stopped the overpayment of 1 million dollars but failed to do so can be so ballsy as to insult the mayor on this one? Sorry Lisa but the council should be recalled for failing the taxpayers in this city on this issue. The only time any of you on the council spoke up in opposition to this travesty was when it leaked out in the news and the public began speaking up. Lisa, you and your council members NEED strong oversight. If ‘extortion’ is what is needed to make sure council does its job, then please, somebody, extort away! In the meantime, do yourself a favor and come down from your ivory tower to buy a dictionary before you again throw ludicrous accusations around that include three or more syllables.
City Councilwoman Lisa Czelatdko was critical of the mayor’s ultimatum. On her Facebook page, she compared it to extortion, but that comment has since been removed. KRDO.com
Typical of many of you cowardly commenters being anonymous and ignorant. Critizing an elected official who has been more transparent than anyone on Council and has done everything she promised to do. Lisa C is my Council rep, I’ve followed her on Facebook and I’ve seen her at more than 1 neighborhood meeting. She is always meeting with citizens, promotes her district businesses, and fights for checks and balances. Everything over the last year she’s talked about and Council has supported, the Mayor is now getting the credit for. My fear is that most likely she will run for the hills after her term is done being sick of dealin with shots at her and working a crappy job.. She’s too smart to stay on Council and I guarantee will be swooped up by some company or run for something bigger and better. CIty politics are a joke in this town. Grow up all of you.
Im going to assume half the people on here are unemployed, retired, and stupid. Basically half of Colorado Springs. I have lived in this City a long time and have seen a lot of elected officials come and go and decisions been made. If any of you know anything about Memorial you know that it was the citizens that gave full authority to a hospital board away from Council over 3 years ago. If you listened to news reports it was the City Attorney and the hospital board working on the Drs. Severance package, not CIty Council. It was also the City Attorney who advised Council to not legally fight the deal even though several members wanted to, including Councilmember Czedatdko. Council would be whipped for wasting taxpayers money or going against the legal advice of the City attorney. They will never win. With the new form of government, this Council is on the losing side. Mayor Bach controls all the staff, has all the money, has the City Attorney, controls the communications, and is being viewed as the Saviour for this community. He has shown to be strong and decisive but flat, and difficult. He seems to be on the attack of this Council and manipulating many of the things going on. Same politics just different faces. Lisa C most likely won’t run again for Council. She seems to be doing this job for the right reasons and does work to represent her district strongly. Good people like her usually get scared away.
Thanks Lance, err I mean Lisa.
Memorial Hospital will continue to operator with or without the lease .
So if Bach is crying they don’t want to play with me again I’m sure UH has other options.
Besides Bach, city council minime Melcher were all in the loop, regarding Dr McEvoy payout.
Seem rather ridiculous to keep running a city in hopes that the citzens will not find out about what is really going on. Then when the stinks comes out nobody knew
Back wants control of that hospital . Lord help if and when that happens
“Lance says: Typical of Typical of many of you cowardly commenters being anonymous and ignorant….” Uh, Lance, who the h*** are you anyway with no last name? And by the way, people on both sides of the issue post anonymously. Take a deep breath.
You can’t handle the truth. Lisa is correct about Bach extorting the public and council to get his way. Again, a ‘foundation’ is a great idea to protect the money, but it must not be hand-picked by Bach. Bach and council together…say it with me, children…
The citizens of this city elected a strong mayor expressly as a check and balance offsetting a bumbling Council. It’s working. That’s not extortion, that’s real PROGRESS.
With Mayor Bach, we are moving forward beyond failed hope & change. Thank you, Mayor Bach, and keep it up.
“Im going to assume half the people on here are unemployed, retired, and stupid….”
Wow…. sounds like this may be the half of the people here you fit in with. As they say, takes one to know one…..
As for the rest of us, we are aware that reports cite the fact that council was informed of the ridiculous severance package before contracts were signed. But then, with a pre-set agenda such as the one you seem to have, facts can get in the way sometimes.
Finally, there is a reason that MOST voters in the Springs chose both a strong mayor and Mr. Bach. After the pettiness and carelessness of our prior and current councils, our hope is that we finally get strong, fiscally sound leadership. The fact that members of our ‘catty’ council (that’s a play on words, Catlover) are resorting to name-calling as a response to good leadership says more about the mud-slingers than it says about the target of their mud.