Summit official: No pouting, just disappointment

Waukesha Freeman, May 26, 2006

By Erik Brooks
The Freeman

TOWN OF SUMMIT Preferred site or not, Town Chairman Leonard Susa is unhappy with Aurora Health Cares decision Thursday to move ahead with plans to build a new hospital in Oconomowoc and not in his community.

I am not going to run out in the street and stomp my feet and pout, Susa said after being informed by a reporter of Auroras decision to spurn the town site in favor of another location at Pabst Farms. I will accept it, but I will not be elated for them.

Aurora spokesman Jeff Squire reiterated the health systems position that the town of Summit site across Interstate 94 from the proposed Oconomowoc location is Auroras preferred site, and it does not want to fully give up on building there.

We want to be there, but that avenue is not open to us at this point, he said.

Susa said that is little consolation.

Of course, its a disappointment, he said. I personally believe that the triangle site (in the town) is a much more desirable site. I would hope they would reconsider, but I also realize they want to build a hospital in western Waukesha County.

Susa said the matter could have been avoided had the Waukesha County Board of Supervisors not overturned the towns decision in 2004 to allow for construction of the hospital a decision over which Aurora and the town later sued the county.

State law gives the county final say on town zoning decisions but not for those in cities or villages.

Oconomowoc has the ability to make the decision (on its own), Susa said. If we were able to do that, the hospital probably would be half up by now.