LSHA: Meridian At Lake Shore Is About to Become a Reality – The Agony & Squandering of Public Funds Seems To Be Finally Coming To An End
March 13, 2025 8:00 pm | 8 min read
Representatives from the LSHA and Lake City met
in discussion about zoning issues and Meridian
Behavorial Health in the vacated Shands at Lake
Shore Hospital.
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(without photos)
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Lake Shore Hospital Authority and the City of Lake City was all for show. Lake City's 12th-hour claim that the Authority Hospital was out of zoning compliance went nowhere.
As a negotiating ploy by new City Manager Don Rosenthal, all it did was waste time and precious public funds that could have gone to a better use than paying high-priced lawyers. Meridian at Lake Shore is going to become a reality.
Special Land Use Attorney Terrell Arline Kicked off the Meeting for the Authority
Attorney Terrell Arline laid out the issues so
everyone could understand them.
Terrell Arline, special land use counsel for the Lakeshore Hospital Authority, explained the reason everyone took time out of their day to show up in City Hall: there was a zoning dispute with the City of Lake City regarding the Lake Shore Hospital Authority and the “continuation of the hospital's legal non-conforming status.”
Mr. Arline explained that in October 2020, the City Manager [Don Rosenthal] claimed the hospital [Shands at Lake Shore] had lost its grandfathered status. The grandfathered status was crucial for the hospital's continued operation under existing zoning laws. City Manager Rosenthal’s claim created confusion and hindered negotiations to transfer the hospital to a third party [Meridian].
In December 2020, in response to Mr. Rosenthal’s letter to Lake Shore Hospital Authority Manager Dale Williams, Mr. Arline sent a letter stating that the City Manager's assertion was incorrect, arguing that the Authority had not abandoned the hospital, as it had been spending significant funds to maintain it and was actively seeking a new operator. Although the City Manager later withdrew his letter, Mr. Arline contended the issue remained unresolved.
To address this, the Lakeshore Hospital Authority initiated a conflict resolution process, as mandated by Florida law, which requires governmental entities to attempt to resolve disputes before heading off to court.
Mr. Arline explained that "today's meeting serves as an initial conflict resolution session" where representatives from both the Authority and the City “will discuss the issues and assess the conflict, with the goal of reaching a potential resolution.”
Mr. Arline emphasized his role was in facilitating the discussion rather than dictating outcomes.
The zoning issue barely came up during the meeting, so what was the conflict?
Mayor Noah Walker.
His presense at the Authority almost
a year ago was remarkable as
he spoke about "butt naked crazies," and his
view on mental health.
Mayor Noah Walker read from a prepared statement.
He said the City is worried that the mental health facility doesn't fit with the downtown area's current uses, such as retail, restaurants, and residential. There was no mention of any City land use violations.
Mr. Walker said there are public safety concerns because the police have to respond more often, which uses resources. He explained the City might not get tax revenue if Meridian claims an exemption [common sense says it will claim the exemption] and the City will have to cover increased public safety costs. Finally, Mr. Walker said the historic use as a hospital with diverse services is different from a dedicated mental health facility.
Sid Ansbacher: a land use attorney out of the blue?
Land use attorney Sid Ansbacher had a long
standing relationship with ex County Manager
Dale Williams, who is now the LSHA Manager. He
was repreenting Lake City.
The show continued with special counsel to the City, Sid Ansbacher, Authority Manager Dale Williams’ long-time friend and outside counsel for Columbia County.
Mr. Ansbacher said he is representing the City in discussions related to chapter 164 of the Florida Statutes, which deals with non-conforming use claims. He aligned himself with Mr. Arline's assessment and suggested that the issues could be approached both informally and formally through joint workshops.
Mr. Ansbacher highlighted the fact-specific nature of the claims, particularly concerning Meridian, and acknowledged that these matters “could result in a fairly exhaustive legal assessment." Mr. Arline did not mention that such an endeavor would be very expensive and take a lot of time.
Then Mr. Ansbacher got to the roots of the real issue, the need to address not only the non-conformity issues but also compliance with public safety and traditional police powers. His goal was purportedly to foster dialogue and work toward a resolution. He said, “I think the direction is that we are here to listen and to see if we can reach some form of resolution.”
[Anybody that knows anything about the shenanigans that go on in Columbia County knows that whatever deals were worked out were accomplished before the gavel dropped on this meeting].
Authority Manager Dale Williams Weighed In, Adding a Little Unverified Drama
Authority Manager Dale Williams goes through his
papers before addressing the committee.
Manager Williams emphasized cooperation and the desire to resolve things without going to court, mentioning that litigation between public entities is frowned upon by the public and courts.
Manager Williams tried to put a pretty face on the years of footdragging by him, the Governor's appointed illegally constituted LSHA Board, and Meridian, by saying that this was the 60th meeting since Meridian submitted their proposal and the 44th where Meridian was discussed. Mr. Williams provided no dates, which is a continuing Williams tradition, and some discussions amounted to no more than deferring the discussion to another meeting.
Mr. Williams stressed that the Meridian issue had been thoroughly vetted, which was not true, as the Governor’s Board did not once discuss the quality of care except for when Board member Lory Chancy mentioned what everyone turned away from, Meridian has a terrible reputation.
See: Meridian Behavioral Health Took Center Stage at the LSHA: Former Employee, Counselor, and Clients Gave Meridian the Thumbs Down
Mr. Williams also mentioned the increase of jobs in the area and that legislation has been filed in Tallahassee to get Meridian money for its Lake City downtown endeavor at the vacated Shands at Lake Shore Hospital.
Mr. Williams also addressed the land issues. Lake City wanted some of the vacant LSHA property, but previous poor planning and inept City management caused property donated by the Authority to Lake City to be reverted back to the Authority. The long story short on the future land donation issues: it is and has been headed to the back rooms, where most of the players feel most comfortable wheeling and dealing public assets.
Mr. Williams concluded by urging swift action to end delays and finalize the Meridian deal.
City Manager Don Rosenthal:
Wheeling and dealing for property is a separate
issue
City Manager Don Rosenthal. It wasn't clear if
his zoning claim was ever serious.
City Manager Rosenthal aligned himself with Manager Williams on separating the zoning dispute from the other issues.
City Manager Rosenthal claimed that Meridian would put a strain on public services and that public safety costs would have to be addressed in any final resolution.
Mr. Rosenthal asked LCPD Chief Butler to come to the microphone and explain the City's public safety concerns.
Lake City Police Chief Butler Reenforced the City’s “dog whistle” claims on mental health
Chief Butler (file photo)
Right away, Chief Butler acknowledged the need for mental health facilities.
However, his main issue was with the location of the Meridian facility. He worried about security and the impact on the police department. The Chief mentioned that the police are called to Meridian frequently—like 300-400 times a year and he is concerned that if the facility expands, the call volume will increase even more, putting a strain on City resources.
The City police department operates like all others, 365 days a year, 24-7, for a total of 8,760 hours. According to the Chief's numbers, that's one call a day in a 24-hour day. It is not clear what defines an excessive demand on the department.
The Chief followed the unsubstantiated path of Lake Shore Hospital Authority Board Member Don “Razor Wire” Kennedy, who called for extraordinary security measures in the proposed Meridian facility. Chief Butler did not go as far as Board member Kennedy.
Board member Don Kennedy listens to Manager
Williams. He was quite during this meeting,
saving the attendees from his mental health dog
whistles.
The Chief spoke about the difference between security guards and orderlies. He wanted to know if the security Meridan mentioned is just someone watching the building or if the actual staff inside can handle patients. He said that sometimes nurses at night can't handle patients without police help, which puts officers in a tough spot because they have to stay until the situation is under control, even though it's against department policy to physically restrain patients for medical procedures.
Chief Butler pointed out that Lake City only makes up 5% of the population served by Meridian, but the police department handles 100% of the calls. He said that other counties drop off patients, but any subsequent issues fall on Lake City PD; that seems unfair and resource-draining.
[Ad valorem taxes make up only 6.4% of the City's $77,974,561 budget].
To support his argument, the Chief mentioned that Lake City Medical Center has 24/7 police in the ER, which is different because it's an emergency facility. The Chief explained Meridian, which isn't an emergency facility, still ends up needing police for Baker Acts when there's no one available to sign off. He said this happens at night, leading to more police involvement.
The Chief’s final concern was Meridian’s location. The area around Meridian has parks, residential areas, and plans for an amphitheater and theater. [Those plans have been smoldering for years and are about to go out]. The Chief said if someone from the facility causes a disturbance in these public spaces, it's the police who have to handle it, adding to their workload.
The Chief is worried about public safety in those areas due to the facility's presence.
Meridian CEO, Lauren Cohn, Addresses the Community Concerns
CEO Laura Cohn listens to the proceedings.
Attending with Ms. Cohn are Meridian attorney
David Evans and COO Ashley Brooks.
CEO Lauren Cohn told the assembly that she recognized the anxieties surrounding Meridian’s proposed mental health facility, “especially given the changes it represents.” She added that mental health care is often misunderstood, and Meridian takes seriously its responsibility to address the community concerns.
Ms. Cohn explained that accessibility to behavioral health care is not just a public health priority but a moral imperative. She said that facilities like Meridian’s are to create safer, healthier communities. “The facility is designed not just to serve those in need, but also to integrate into the community in a way that fosters understanding, reduces stigma, and promotes overall well-being,” she said.
Ms. Cohn said that safety is a top priority. She said, “It's important to clarify that mental health facilities like the one we're proposing are not linked to higher crime rates or safety issues.”
Ms. Cohn said the security model at Meridian at Lake Shore will be unlike those in its other facilities. She explained, “By having security, we are not just talking about a building guard stand outside, as the Chief mentioned, that is something that could be done with an alarm system, but truly a security component that integrates into the care of the facility and is able to respond to some of the challenges we've heard today with the care we're providing.”
Ms. Cohn extended an open invitation to those who wish to take a tour of their Gainesville facility.
LSHA Attorney Todd Kennon Wraps It Up
Attorney Todd Kennon (with legal pad) refused to
move the microphone closer during the whole
meeting, making him his usual "difficult to
impossible to hear."
Attorney Todd Kennon continues to refuse to respect the public's right to hear him by actively refusing to talk into microphones. When it was pointed out during the meeting that it was difficult to hear him and would he "please us the microphone," Lake City's neophyte mayor glanced over at him, saw the microphone three feet away, and kept silent.
Mr. Kennon read from a draft contract between Meridian and the Authority. He said Meridian’s program is a “plus-plus” program and suggested “moving forward from today’s meeting.”
Epilogue
After the meeting, CEO Cohn told your reporter, "We do not have police security in any of our facilities and have not found it necessary. However, we are looking forward to working with local officials and the community to have a safe facility and ally their fears.”
