NB family makes offer for nursing home

By MaryHelen Swanson
The Clayton Anderson family of North Branch has offered to sell land to the county for the construction of the new Green Acres nursing home.
The site, almost 21 acres, is located very near the recently proposed site on CR 68 behind Tanger Outlet Center.
The Andersons, as Little Sweden, Inc., are offering the land to the county at $5,000 an acre.
The offer, made to the city of North Branch, the county and Board of Social Ministry, was presented in a letter to Steve Mork. Mork brought the offer to the county board last week.
The letter noted that the above parties should acknowledge that the sale would constitute in part a ìgiftî as the fair market value of the property exceeds the purchase price offered.
At the March 19 meeting, Mork told the commissioners he talked with the city of North Branch, the architect, the financial consultant and the state and in all cases the new site would be workable.
The property is, in fact, similar in size and shape, but is on the east side of CR 68. Mork said it would have the same ease of access and visibility.
Furthermore, there would be no gas pipeline to move. Cost of the line being moved on the original site was in excess of $75,000 which the county would have to pay.
It appears that the county could see a cost saving of $250,000 to $300,000 in the total project.
Things that would need to be done now, if the county accepted the offer, would be to amend the proposal to the state which approved an exception to the nursing home building moratorium, develop a purchase agreement, do a site analysis and authorize the city of North Branch to do any rezoning that would be needed.
The county board took no action, but, at the suggestion of Commissioner Lora Walker, agreed to officially thank the Anderson family.
Board chairman Commissioner Ben Montzka continued the discussion by noting that he had talked with area legislators about securing special legislation that would allow the county to sell the nursing home at the time of construction.
He said he believed he heard many people saying it should be sold.
Commissioner Bob Gustafson said he wasnít in such a hurry to sell, he said he wants to hear from the residents of the county.
Gustafson said he heard very little about selling it, all he heard, he said, was it has to be built.
Commissioner Rick Olseen, who said he talked with Clayton Anderson, didnít think Anderson wanted the county to lose the nursing home.
Commissioner Mike Robinson said it was more important to get it built first and then figure out what to do with it later, so the county would not lose the state funding.
ìWe donít have to wait 10 years,î he said, ìmy concern is get it built while the state has the money on the table.î
Commissioner Walker said she has always leaned toward the sale of the nursing home.
Gustafson moved to seek the enabling legislation with an understanding that it gives the county an option, while not being obligated to do anything.
Chairman Montzka stepped down to second Gustafsonís motion, it passed 4-1 with Commissioner Olseen opposed.

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