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Set Public Meeting on May 30Local Task Force OfficeOpen, Still Hard at WorkBY KENARBEENYA few weeks ago an OpenLetter to Mayor Beame waspublished, which protested theapparent dismantling or downgrading of the various neighborhood government organizations in New York City, and inparticular, of the Urban ActionTask Force for Park SlopeSouth Brooklyn-Sunset Park.The letter protested that somesort of secretive re-organizationwas going on about whichcommunities were not beingconsulted, or even informed.Well I am glad to report thatour Task Force Office in ParkSlope-South Brooklyn-SunsetPark has been kept open, ourChairman, Sam Azadian reinstated-for the time being atleast-and we are about to meetwith the Mayor%u2019s Office ofNeighborhood Government todiscuss the future shape anddirection of neighborhood government.On Thursday, May 30, at 8p.m., at the Methodist HospitalNurse%u2019s Residence, corner 8thAvenue and 6th Street in ParkSlope, John J. Carty, Directorof the Office of NeighborhoodGovernment, John Zuccotti,Chairman of the New YorkPlanning Commission, DennisAilee, Executive Director of theNew York State Charter Revision Commission, and theHon. Robert Steingut, Councilman-at-large for Brooklyn, willmeet with community people.This Community Forum onNeibhborhood Government willafford representatives of thevarious communities within thearea covered by the UrbanAction Tast Force for ParkSlope-South Brooklyn-SunsetPark to present their views andto pose specific questions,disagreements and requestsconcerning the future development of neighborhood government in the City of New York.It will open a dialogue betweencommunity leaders and residents. Dennis Ailee w illHospital SpokesmanSays Cost IncreasesDue to Rising PricesPeople thought hospital costswere high in the 1940%u2019s and1950's. %u201c I don%u2019t recall thatthere has ever been a timewhen the public has thoughtmedical costs were inexpensive,%u201d Vernon Stutzman, Executive Director of the MethodistHospital in Brooklyn said recently.The hospital executive understands the complaints aboutrising costs over the years whilethe medical institutions havestruggled against the restrictions and cost control constraints imposed by governmental regulations. He alsonotes the staggering costs ofkeeping pace with swiftly advancing technology, wage increases and benefits for allemployees, and the commondenominator affecting everybusiness -- inflation.%u2018%u2018In this complex operationthat must be kept going 365days a yer, 24 hours a day,%u201dStutzman says, %u2018 %u2018 it is verydifficult to keep income equal toexpense. Hospitals renderservice. If an industry or business made only one per centgain, they would seek newmanagement to seek a greaterprofit. The Methodist Hospitalis a not-for-profit organization.It has no stockholders nor paysstock dividends. Many yearswe do well just to %u2018break even%u2019because the demands for service outrun the available income. In 1973 we experiencedan operating loss of $1.3million,%u201d he stated.%u2018%u2018A few decades ago, thehospital was the place peoplewent as a last resort. We allknow what technology hasevolved during and followingDo You HoveSomething to Say?We w elcom e your contributions to the Phoenix Com m unity Forum Page. 500-750 w ord length prefered.S e n d v o u r m a t e r i a l t o : %/The Editor, Phoenix,130 Clinton St., Brooklyn,, N.Y. 11201address himself to the details ofthe New York State Charterrevision as it directly affectsNew York City; John J. Cartyon the policies and generalprinciples that w ill developfrom the Charter revision at theCity level and just how citizenswill be able to achieve input atthe planning level; John Zuccotti on the strengths andweaknesses of the planningboards; and Robert Steingut onthe overall view from theCouncil Chamber.The Forum will be moderatedby Sam Azadian, Deputy Commissioner of Traffic and chairman of the Mayor%u2019s Urban TaskForce for Park Slope-SouthBrooklyn-Sunset Park. It willbe sponsored by: Boerum HillAssociation, Brooklyn HeightsAssociation, Carroll GardensAssociation, Cobble Hill Association, Downtown BrooklynDevelopment Association, FifthAvenue M erchants%u2019 Association, Park Slope Civic Council,Precinct Community Councils:68th, 72nd, 76th, and 78thPrecincts, Seventh AvenueBetterment Committee, SunsetPark Civic Association, T riangle Parks/Flatbush AvenueImprovement Committee, United Block Associations of ParkSlope, Windsor Terrace/Kensington Community Association, Women%u2019s Action Committee for a Cleaner Cobble Hill,and YWCA of Third Avenue.We would like as manypeople as possible to be abie tohave their say and make theirviews known, and to help usensure that there is time foreveryone, we would like to hearfrom people who wish to speak.Naturally, there will be time forothers to be heard too, onrequest from the floor, and timefor questions and discussion.Further inform ation aboutthe meeting can be had from:Ken Arbeeny, 237-9211; JohnNoonan, 788-0687; Sam Azadian, EM1-8000, Ext. 260.the World War II years. W e%u2019vehad men on the moon, television has developed, new electronic gear and gadgetry iseverywhere, including the hospital, making possible procedures and care never dreamedabout before%u201d he continued.%u2018 %u2018These advances in technology, the ability to do so muchmore, the need for additionalhighly skilled technicians andprofessionals have all contributed to the rapid rise of hospitalcosts. In the area of X-ray, thecurrent cost for equipping onediagnostic X-ray room is over$150,000. Ten or fifteen yearsago, $30,000 to $50,000 wouldhave accomplished the task,%u201dhe said. %u2018%u2018During the preWorld War II days, a laboratoryconsisted of a technician, amicroscope and a centerfuge.Today, some of the automatedlaboratory testing apparatuscosts from $60,000 to $150,000for one unit. In the area ofgeneral supplies, costs haverisen from 35 to 60 per cent.%u201dThe Methodist official pointed out that during the sameperiod of time for the entireeconomy, there has been anincrease of over 2UU percent in the cost of living,according to official governmental indexes.Wages and salaries have increased approximately 250 percent in the past ten years atlocal hospitals, he said. Theminimum wage paid for nonp ro f CGsiona! h e lp has g e n e fr o m about 80 cents an hour in 1953to approximately $3.50 an h o u r.IflOK] HOTEL 11 noyHOTEL 8T. GEORGEC L A R K S T R E E TBROOKLYN HEIGHTS NEW YORKI t %u201cVK the *4rKert Hotel* 1%u201c the United States. Fifteen minutes from| I City Hall, New York City. Thirty live minutes from Coney Island.U g a m sl minutes from Brooklyn Bridge Twenty minutes from Ilroad WBy *n<* WrI1 8tre%u00aet, thus being more accessible to the busy section of the city than any uptown house in New York. From Sun Parlor and Roof Garden see magnificent view of New York Bay. Ladies coming to the city alone will find (he St. George homelike in every respect Grmnasium and Plunge connected with Hotel. Rooms, single and en suite, with private tiatlis.F.uro|iean l%u2019lan, f t . 00 and up. American Plan, $2.50 and up. Unusual facilities for families making permanent stay during season. STS Private Bathrooms. Long Distance Telephone in every room.An excellent table d'hote served every evening, $1.00.C r . ll If.w in t n In r a r( %u00abFx inl for doscrijitivo Imoklrt.\completed. It can safely be said that Brooklyn can l.%u00bb proud of this room, as there are Very few in the country th a t cun approach it. either as regards the \r . , NuvlmuIht 21, 11)01.The St. George in Brooklyn Heights was one of the leading hotels inall of New York City In 1908 when this advertisement appeared In theBrooklyn Eagle Almanac.Mat/ 16, 1974, PHOENIX, Page 9