Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 10-16-15 Edition

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Tampa General Wins Consumer Choice Award For 10th Straight Years
For the 10th straight year, Tampa General Hospital was named the Consumer Choice win- ner by National Research Corporation. The an- nual award identifies hospitals across the United States that healthcare consumers choose as hav- ing the highest quality, best reputation, and best doctors and nurses.
TGH is the only hospital in the Tampa-St. Pe- tersburg-Clearwater market, and one of just 19 in the state, to receive this recognition. The win- ning hospitals are listed in the Oct. 12 issue of Modern Healthcare.
Winners are determined by consumer per-
ceptions on multiple quality and image ratings collected in the company’s Market Insights sur- vey, the largest online consumer healthcare sur- vey in the country.
National Research surveys more than 300,000 households in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. Hospitals named by consumers are analyzed and ranked based on Core Based Statistical Areas defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, with winning facilities being ranked the highest.
A complete list of winners can be found at na- tionalresearch.com/ConsumerChoice.
West Tampa CRA Nears Final Hurdle
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
A process that was supposed to have con- cluded in September is reaching its final hur- dle as the West Tampa CRA is preparing to get underway.
The last hurdle was the creation of the Cit- izens Advisory Committee (CAC), the group that makes recommendations to the CRA board on specific projects they would like to see Tax Increment Dollars (TIF) allocated to.
That process was set back by Council
Chair Frank Reddick who felt the 3 at-
large selections were fine, but the 8 ex-officio selections needed further review.
“I think Jeanette Fenton (West Tampa Development Manager) did a great job, but the 8 ex-0fficio groups she selected was based on her trying to please everyone.
“I feel there were other groups left out of the process that should have had an opportunity to apply.”
After the July selection of the 8 ex-officio groups was approved, the decision was rescinded on request on the CRA Board, and Fenton was instructed to have those 8 groups, plus any others who were qualified, to reapply.
“I don’t understand why the 8 groups need to reapply if they already have the applications,” said Heem Baisden, President of the West Tampa Alliance, one of the 8 ex-officio groups.
“Last week during the CRA Board meeting, the question was asked as to why we all have to reapply, and Ms. Fenton said the applications were different. We can’t understand why, and we feel if the CRA already has our application, what information was missing from that one that they want to see in this one? It all makes no sense to us.”
After a review of the two applications, it was discovered that more information about the groups is being requested aside from their min- utes reaching back a year.
The CRA Board is supposed to review the applications, and by No- vember the CAC members will be selected.
JEANETTE FENTON
March Of Dimes Seeks Community Awards Applicants
March of Dimes Florida Chapter is seeking applications for their Community Awards grants to support programs that address unmet maternal and child health needs. Awarding grants to organizations is one of the ways the March of Dimes pursues its mission of improv- ing the health of babies by preventing birth de- fects, premature birth, and infant mortality.
The goal of the Community Awards program is to identify and fund community-based pro- grams addressing the health concerns of preg- nant women and infants in Florida. They must also fall under our 2015 funding priorities.
Community Awards, which can be requested for amounts up to $3,000, may not be used to support the purchase of equipment or furniture, individual tuition or conference fees, dues or
membership fees, employee salary, or programs requiring long-term March of Dimes funding. For larger projects, please contact the March of Dimes Florida Chapter to learn more about its Chapter Grants Program.
Applications are being accepted until Octo- ber 23, 2015 and grantees will be notified on November 20, 2015. The funding period ex- tends from December 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016.
Visit the website for a list of funding priori- ties and an application, visit www.mar- chofdimes. org/florida.
For more information or questions, email Sharetta Remikie, State Director of Program Services at sremikie@marchofdimes.org or call (321) 274-8686.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-B