Mayor Signs Settlement Pact

City Administrator Marc Dashield said Monday Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has signed a settlement with the state Department of Health and Senior Services over health care issues related to the closing last year of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center.

In answer to Councilman Adrian Mapp's question on details of the pact, Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson said the document will not be made public until all parties have signed off on it.

Plaintalker is leaving coverage of the issue to the Courier News, which has provided intensive background in the past. Frankly, the many layers of intrigue on this issue and the panoply of players put the matter a bit outside the range of the blog.

Issues include who will monitor compliance with the settlement and how the many interested parties will be included. Williamson did say one detail is that ambulance service, not an ambulance, is to be provided.

With any luck, there will soon be an article from reporter Mark Spivey that will sum up the latest chapter in this long-running saga.

--Bernice Paglia