Obici Board should ‘do the right thing’

Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 13, 2003

Editor, the News-Herald:

It just makes sense that when a well-respected, potential buyer with a solid plan offers the Obici Board the full asking price (and other financial considerations) for the original Louise Obici Memorial Hospital complex, and wants to save the much loved historic buildings therein, that the deal would likely go through.

You would think they would be happy. After all, his Atlanta-based group’s list of community minded accomplishments is extensive and very impressive. Sadly, it appears that someone or some special agenda has &uot;poisoned&uot; the Obici Board’s thought process into not seriously considering any deal that would leave the LOMH and LOSN buildings intact.

Email newsletter signup

This same &uot;rush to poor judgment&uot; was at work when the same crowd voted to close the highly respected Louise Obici School of Nursing.

Why won’t they level with all the good people who want so badly to save the school and the property? The Obici legacy, which should be first and foremost here, seems sadly lost in the shuffle. Who is watching over it?

What ever happened to the Board members who would not be &uot;bullied,&uot; but rather would take a stand for what they know is right, in memory of the namesake of the very Board on which they serve? If they are there, now is the time to stand up and be counted, and initiate steps to &uot;make right these wrongs.&uot;

Caring folks, all across Suffolk and the U.S., are counting on you to &uot;do the right thing,&uot; and will back you all the way. Standing together behind high-pressure decisions that you strongly question, and that will take so much from Suffolk’s history with Mr. and Mrs. Obici, will never bring you peace of mind. Two wrongs don’t make a right, and they never will.

Baker Parker

Suffolk