Columbia County Observer

Hospital Authority KO's working families
Republican Chief gets sweetheart deal

Columbia County, FL (Posted April 13, 2010  07:45:am)

It was business as usual last night at the Lake Shore Hospital Authority... when the Hospital Authority picked the pockets of Columbia County's working families to benefit the past Republican Chief, Mr. "Free – White – and Over 21" himself -- Jack Berry, hiring him as what appears to be the nation's only part time hospital authority manager. The hospital authority... (2 comments)

Good ole boy and former Republican Chief gets Hospital Authority Nod

Columbia County, FL (Posted March 9, 2010 at 09:55 am)

No one was surprised last night when the former Columbia County Republican Chief and Hospital Authority Chairman, Jack Berry, was hired by his old board to be the Authority's first paid manager, just months after resigning from the Lake Shore Hospital Authority. The Authority has two employees.

Call it a manager - call it a director
Call it another LSHA way to squander taxpayer dollars

Columbia County, FL (Posted Feb 16, 2010 at 01:00pm)

In August of 2009, Lake Shore Hospital Authority Chairman, Jack Berry, began laying the groundwork to establish the position of a part time Hospital Authority executive director. He told the Authority Board, at least the two who showed up at the budget work shop, "You would probably want whoever does that position to...

LSHA cans self appreciation dinner - maybe?

Columbia County, FL (Posted Feb 8, 2010 at 08:20am)

During the Lake Shore Hospital Authority December 14, 2009, regular meeting, newly installed Hospital Authority Chairman, Marc Vann, decided that it would be a good idea for the Hospital Authority to have a self appreciation dinner on the tax payers' tab. This dinner was to include the Board members, the LSHA staff and everybody's spouses.

LSHA & Shands at Lake Shore ignore ADA
Physically challenged are 2nd class

Columbia County, FL (posted January 19, 2010)

by Al Cimaglia

I have been bound to a wheel chair my whole life and I can assure you that to me and my wife, who can now only get around in a wheel chair that ten feet can be like a mile. Unfortunately, it appears that the local agency that is responsible for seeing that the requirements of the ADA are followed, the city of Lake City, has dropped the ball and has for years been turning a blind eye on this whole situation.

Former LSHA Chairman, Jack Berry, had no problem showing his distain for ADA requirements or the Observer.

Old & New LSHA bosses refuse to comply with ADA wheel chair requirements.

Columbia County, FL (posted January 11, 2010)

By Stew Lilker

Former LSHA Chairman, Jack Berry, along with his protégé, Columbia County Commissioner, contractor and LSHA construction manager, Jody DuPree, didn't much care about the American's With Disabilities Act during the renovation of the old county jail, which became the new and unnecessary headquarters of the LSHA. The new regime under the leadership of Chairman Marc Vann is doing a little better, but not much. (1 comment)

LSHA Berry nixes ADA compliance

Columbia County, FL (posted August 28, 2009)

By Stew Lilker

Columbia County’s iron fisted Lake Shore Hospital Authority (“LSHA”) chairman, Jack Berry, has demonstrated that for him, the letter and the spirit of the Americans With Disabilities Act (“ADA”) doesn’t have much influence. Mr. Berry’s secretive and totalitarian rule has left the handicapped and physically challenged as second class citizens at the LSHA campus in Columbia County.

Jack Berry blows under pressure
Throws Observer out of illegal meeting

Columbia County, FL (posted August 18, 2009)

By Stew Lilker

Lake Shore Hospital Authority (“LSHA”) Chairman, Jack Berry, a man who claims that he gets his “orders from the Governor,” hit a new low in a career of disregarding the rights of others, when he called the Lake City Police Department to come to the Hospital Authority to remove the Observer for listening to a meeting. (file photo)

Lake Shore Hospital Authority Clams Up Berry Defies Public Accountability

Part 1

Columbia County Florida (posted Oct. 13, 2008)
By Stew Lilker

The Observer told the Board: “There are thirty thousand tax payers in the county that could have questions about how the authority is run. My question is, when they have a question and they come to this board, how do they get an answer? You will not answer any questions now from the public, which is something new in my tenure of watching public officials. I’ve never seen this before.”

Chairman Berry sat silent, lips pursed, as the Observer asked, “I guess you’re just not going to answer?”

Columbia County’s LSHA Out of Control •
Racist Remark Proves Chairman Jack Berry Unfit For Public Office

Part 2

Columbia County Florida (posted Oct. 13, 2008)
By Stew Lilker

As Columbia County’s Lake Shore Hospital Authority floats on a sea

Glynell Presley of the NAACP said, “In this day and age it is absolutely incredible to think that someone appointed by the Governor could say something like that. One must wonder if Mr. Berry can see what is going on in America today.

of money, Chairman, Jack Berry, former chairman of the Columbia County Republican Party, former law enforcement officer, and the losing party in a lawsuit where he kept suing two County Commissioners for testifying against him in court, showed his character once again at the monthly meeting of the Lake Shore Hospital Authority (the Authority) on October 6th by disgracing all Americans and especially people of color.
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The Observer asked, “Mr. Chairman is anybody allowed to answer any of these questions at these meetings?”

Board Chairman, Jack Berry answered, “If they’re free, white and over twenty-one.