Former MetroHealth Hospital CEO Dr. Akram Boutros may finally get his day in court to argue he was wrongfully fired by the hospital. (Though he’d likely be happy with a fat settlement instead).

Boutros sued the hospital’s board after it fired him in late 2022 after learning he had awarded himself $1.9 million in bonuses over several years. His lawsuit contends that he followed the board’s approved compensation plan for awarding the bonus to himself and employees. Boutros further asserts the firing cost him $8 million in lost compensation and severance, $20 million in harm to future job prospects and “additional tens of millions more” in damage to his reputation.

The final pretrial meeting between the two sides is Dec. 15, with the trial scheduled for late January.

MetroHealth rejects the claims in court filings, arguing Boutros was not forthcoming about giving himself the bonuses and was never entitled to them. MetroHealth has shown no signs of wanting to settle.

In the meantime, the latest legal battlefront in the case involves a whistleblower from MetroHealth. The whistleblower, according to court records, says a cache of internal emails from 2013 to 2020 – that the hospital said were no longer available – were in fact retrievable. Boutros’ case has included requests for emails from 2019, a period that his attorneys say in court records is important to show he did not conceal issues about his bonus.

The hospital confirms to Weekly Chatter and in court papers that the emails were missed in previous searches for a variety of reasons, including a switch to a new email system. The hospital says the emails have been turned over to Boutros’ attorneys and insist that the missing emails amount to nothing. The judge is setting aside three hours for the pre-trial meeting next week to accommodate a robust discussion about missing emails, the case docket shows.

Boutros isn’t the only former CEO suing the hospital. His successor, Airica Steed, who became CEO of MetroHealth in December 2022 and was fired less than two years later, continues to press her case against the hospital. Steed alleges she was subjected to racial discrimination and fired by the hospital board unlawfully while on medical leave despite positive performance reviews. The hospital has said in court papers that Steed failed to address several performance shortcomings identified in her reviews and engaged in “insubordinate conduct.”

The current hospital CEO, Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager, is not suing anyone on the board. In fact, the hospital’s board of trustees just voted to give her a three-year contract extension through 2029. Her current contract was set to expire in January.

Copper thieves turn Red Line Greenway dark

Thieves have been yanking copper wiring from Cleveland city street lights for months, including some 70 poles along Broadway Avenue in Slavic Village, a Cleveland Public Power official recently told a Cleveland City Council committee.

But the Metroparks is a victim of copper robbers, too. Lights along its Red Line Greenway, the two-mile paved all-purpose trail linking the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail to the RTA Red Line Rapid Transit stations, are now without power. Sometime around August and September, thieves ripped hundreds of feet of wiring from the ground, leaving the path, which runs along Interstate 90 west of downtown, dark.

The Metroparks confirmed the issue to Signal Cleveland and said the park system “is in the process of working with an electrical contractor on the repairs.” It did not offer a timeline for when the lights might be back on.

Zack Reed campaigns (and parties) for kids again

Former Cleveland City Council Member Zack Reed, who currently works for Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration, is preparing for his version of a half-time Super Bowl show.

For more than a quarter of a century, Reed has cajoled local celebrities, politicians and sports figures to headline his Toys for Tots charity drive run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

This year’s event is Dec. 18 and is again at the Dive Bar in the Warehouse District. Headliners include former Browns wide receiver Brian Brennan and Cavs legend Jim Chones, who also provides analysis during games. Celebrity bartenders include the mayor, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Roynane and Shannon Smith of 19 News. In an effort to be politically correct in the most literal sense, Reed notes on the invitation that he invited Congresswoman Shontel Brown, who is the titular head of the local Democratic Party. But Reed told Weekly Chatter that she’ll be busy in Washington so he’s turning to a veteran backup player: Cleveland Council Member Brian Kazy.

Like any good party, it will be followed by an after-party at the Cleveland Cigar and Social Lounge.

Finally, just a reminder to reach out to Weekly Chatter with gossip, tips or complaints. Our goal remains telling you what’s really going on in our town. You can reach us at mark@signalcleveland.org or at 216-346-9011.