So they knew .  Engineering knew and is still being used

AND another previous update .. remember this as you  read the following research

Knowing what I knew  I found this a little  misleading or at least not saying everything .. I reached out

Good afternoon Ms. Ritchey:

I’ve reviewed your records request and have attached three items associated with the findings of the onsite assessment conducted at St. Joe’s by Verdantas. The final Phase 2 is complete but is still in draft format so is not yet available for public distribution. I expect that we’ll have the final document next week. The attached items associated with the Verdantas work include:

1.      Memo associated with Verdantas call with Ohio EPA

2.      Memo regarding the radiation screening conducted onsite

3.      Summary of Evaluation of Remedial Options for Building Debris Removal at the City of Lorain Former St. Joseph Hospital Assessment Project

In addition, I’ve included the Osborn Engineering Hazard Assessment conducted on the St. Joe’s Parking Garage as referenced in your second request.  Please let me know if you have any questions .Kate Golden, CPMSM, CFM  |  Storm Water Manager  |  City of Lorain Engineering Department

I responded :

:Golden, Kathryn

Cc:Riley, Patrick,Washington, Sanford,Bradley, Jack,Vandersommen, Dale,Beko, Micheleand 7 more…

Fri, Dec 30, 2022 at 5:43 PM

Thank you  for the explanation, as an aside I was the person that pushed for the Osborne report re the Parking Garage  ( see Pat Riley  and various emails and formal complaint).

The mere fact you  are stating  that parking garage poses “no  immediate” threat is not a comforting  to  me as it is to  the city officials apparently,  as in that very  Osborne  report it states the conditions  at the parking  garage are deteriorating rapidly.  Define rapidly  I  suppose….

Also  from reading the summary   re the radiation, ground water leakage, lead levels  compromised  asbestos tiles there are a number of caveats  that I  find worrying . And I  will be using my  own resources to  explore that further .

I  am very  well aware of the history  of the debacle from October 30th  2020 and  before with  the history of St. Joes Hospital going back to  Mayor  Krasienko  and Gilchrist and Mercy  Hospital  and all the minutes re South  Shore Development Corp  1996  I  have written extensively  about the situation for years.

I am fully aware of the City  of Lorain’s predicament as well as the problems with  the parcels .  And quite honestly  if due diligence ( in my  opinion) had been done in researching the umbrella companies under Salvatore Tecce and A7  before October 2020 we would not have this debacle for the tax payers, that is my  opinion.

Since Legal dept was not involve in that “agreement ” with  Earth  Exchange  etc. there apparently  were no  checks and balances in place and we find ourselves  in my  opinion unable to  claim against any  owner or developer. .

My  concern is as it always has been the health  and welfare of the neighbors and those that frequent that site illicitly  or not  , The fact there  are underground springs ( Devonian Springs) beneath those basements now filled with  whatever and the construction works that were exposed to  the asbestos tile fragments as they  were broken down.

 I  am sorry  the City  of Lorain is in this position BUT it does I  am afraid stem from that enabling letter of October 30th  2020 and lack  of due diligence.

Further more I hope that by  leaving a paper trail of my  concerns  in future years  will have an access to  the what happened .  If it is NOT a hazadous site  by what EPA or Federal Standards are we to  be left with  the eyesore and deteriorating conditions  indefinitely? It is not good enough  ! I believe the citizens of Lorain deserve better that platitudes and “trying our best. ” 

I am very  annoyed at how this has played out and those involved included ex city  officials such  as Max Upton ( the go to  guy) should be held accountable. I t is a terrible waste in order to  “get it down”

I believe  Mayor Bradley stated at one point there was a reporting to  the DOJ with  regard to  being blackmailed ( see Chronicle) by the developers  and I  may  be paraphrasing ” Not  to  mess with  Lorain” well seems they  have and left their mess and paid us nothing for the privilege .

The administration under Max Upton  lied to  our Council at Large Mrs. Springowski as to  how the demo  was progressing  and that concrete and waste were not being dumped into those basement. I  have all of that documentation and it is published. So  you  see trust is lost when it comes to  this site I  am afraid.

However thank  you for the assistance. I am sure we will be talking again at some point. I hope everyone has a happy  and healthy  New Year as well.

OH dear and now after nearly  5years of the manipulation and machinations we are cleaning up…..hmm

In  fact when I originally  reached out to the EPA they  sent me all the documents for the demolition of St. Joes Community  Center……….. ERRRRRR but that was  for 2015, they  hadn’t any  information as to 2020.. no clue it had been demoed.

Nobody   told  the EPA apparently   except for one email from Kate Golden of City  of Lorain’s Engineering Dept.

I asked for public records from the City  and also from the EPA and this is they  only  email that mentions  demolition? However you  will note this was October 6th 2020  24 days BEFORE the Agreement letter from Sanford Washington and the city   with the Agreement. without benefit of input from our Law Dept.

Ms. Golden does NOT mention the contractor ?

why  not  they  might be disreputable and the EPA might be aware of them ( as apparently  they  were LACKING  IN HONESTY) 

Ms. Golden does NOT mention  the fact, in her email to the EPA,  this is a huge deteriorating hospital with  all the problems that should have raised red flags in the mind of those wishing transparency.. so why  not???

Ms. Golden then states the are just taking down the ‘Vertical Structures ” and that the foundations will be left in place. That being said, he’s indicated 
that there will be no real soil disturbing activities – so should we be sending him the NOI and plan review route, or no? My initial thought would be =
no, but I wanted to ensure you concur with this

Oh dear ,that wasn’t exactly  a lot of information to get  and OK with  the EPA :

Hi Kate,

If they are leaving the concrete pad/foundation in place and not backfilling with any soil or fill materials, then it would not be considered a disturbance.  So, from what you mentioned, it does not sound like this project would
require coverage under the Construction Storm Water Permit.

Let me know if you need anything else or have other questions.

Laura

From: Golden, Kathryn <Kathryn_Golden@cityoflorain.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:49 AM
To: Shriver, Laura <Laura.Shriver@epa.ohio.gov>
Cc: Vandersommen, Dale <Dale_Vandersommen@cityoflorain.org>
Subject: Demo Project

Hi Laura,

I received a call today from a demo contractor that will be taking down a building in Lorain. The entire project site is about 3 acres, but he’s indicated that right how they are just taking down the vertical structures and t=
hat the foundations will be left in place. That being said, he’s indicated
that there will be no real soil disturbing activities – so should we be sending him the NOI and plan review route, or no? My initial thought would be no, but I wanted to ensure you concur with this.

Let me know your thoughts.

Kate Golden, CPMSM, CFM  |  Storm Water Manager  |  City of Lorain Engineering Department
200 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, OH 44052  |  p. 440.204.2059

No disturbance there  is there ? And yes the rest of the email  before Kate Golden reached out to the EPA does give  the name of the contact and also  that it would be St. Joes . Why didn’t Golden give the EPA the complete information   THE WHOLE EMAILEXCHANGE CAN BE FOUND HERE.. This is the beginning of the contact with  Englineering  and Earth  Exchange ( A 7)

DOC (7)

Kate knew exactly  who they  were dealing with  and what the demo was…….and she and Dale Vandersomme of Engineering presumably know ,in their professional capacity;  that taking down two and three and four stories of abuilding and its basements would have issue and ground disturbance … Prove me wrong.

But Kate  gave them permission from the State and City ……

I have received no other correspondence from either  the City  of Lorain or EPA in this situation .. if you  read the documents in the PDF DOC ( 7)  you  will find out that after numerous complaints and trying to reach them  they ( Earth  Exchange A 7 etc.  stopped answering  as things went belly up…….  February 25th 2021…..   all there and just after Mayor Bradley   gave his State of the city  address.

The stop Work order was given On March 30th 2021. a month and one week after  Earth  Exchange apparently  stopped replying…….

Kate knew and Vandersomme and others due to being copied on the  correspondence when making those videos we had issues and NO_ONE even on the email chain said a word..…… I can understand  the Law dept .after all they  are there acting for the City of Lorain to protect them not us BUT the City  did not engage with  the EPA as to what the demo entailed  and who was doing it …. to be continued