I have many mixed emotions about the future of HUMC.
First, I’d like to say HUMC is a wonderful hospital. It’s clean, state of the art, and ultra convenient for everyone in Hackensack. God forbid one of us needs medical attention, it is very reassuring to be less than five minutes away from the facility from any part of Hackensack. The medical staff is among the best in the area and my parents, wife and children have all received excellent care whenever they’ve had to go there. That being said, should HUMC have carte blanche to expand as much as they want? Should the city allow them to take over that part of town or put an end to the expansion now?
I don’t know if the city has a master plan for that area, but maybe one should be developed specifically for the entire area with Essex Street, Summit Avenue, Beech/Atlantic Street, and State Street as its borders. It could be designated the “HUMC Zone” and a plan could be developed, by the city, to take control of the entire zone by rezoning it. This way the city controls the deck, not HUMC. When they want to expand more, they’d have to actually play by the city’s rules, since they would control the area. It seems like the city got bamboozled by HUMC on the Imus building and they should try not to get out played again.
I hate the fact HUMC is bullying the city and their own neighbors in the area. I can’t stand their arrogance. They are expanding whether we like it or not and we’re at their mercy. Does it have to be this way?
In spite of what HUMC wants us to believe, it’s all about money. The hospital is making more and more of it. Why can’t they share some of the wealth? It’s ironic the non-profit hospital, most of it being tax-exempt, has a management staff, doctors, lawyers, consultants, etc. making big money. Since their taxes are low, maybe they can help the city out with things like school expansion, fire fighting equipment, maybe even a discounted health care plan for the city’s employees. If the hospital has a medical plan for its employees, why can’t they include Hackensack’s city employees in the same plan? Imagine the savings to the city at little cost to the hospital. Why can’t HUMC purchase state of the art fire fighting equipment for our fire fighters as a gift in case of a disaster in the hospital? A lot of our tax dollars go to keeping our fire fighters ready for a disaster in this non profit/tax-exempt facility. It doesn’t seem right.
The city’s residents are giving up a lot for HUMC’s expansion. Prospect Avenue and Essex Street near the hospital ALWAYS has traffic which is only going to get worse. It’s nice to have the extra business in town from patients and staff at the hospital but how much extra business are we really seeing? Not many people working/visiting the hospital are making their way to shop or eat on Main Street. It’s great that the area around the hospital has been redeveloped with doctor’s offices and medical buildings (which are not tax-exempt) but it’s sad to see the houses and neighborhoods go.
As I said, I have mixed emotions about the hospital’s expansion and future. Who really runs Hackensack, the council/city manager or John Ferguson?