TO THE EDITOR:

To the city council of North Branch: Have you ever heard of compromise for the good of the citizens of our city? It was very disappointing to hear that all the time consuming efforts of Steve Mork and many others to build a nursing home and assisted living in North Branch is all but ìdown the drainî because you didnít work harder to reach an agreement that would benefit all parties now and in the future. It is strange to me that at least two very qualified members of the council found that all the plans were in compliance with what needed to be done, yet two of you voted ìNO.î Is it really ìgreen spaceî that is the big issue?

Ms. Furman, I was very disappointed in your comment following my comments at the meeting last evening. You indicated that your grandfather chose to ìdie at homeî and that you chose to take care of your grandmother at home until her death. I commend you for that! However, we did not choose to have my mother nor my mother-in-law put in the nursing home to die, nor is it a happy choice that my brother-in-law is there now. His home is not conducive to wheelchair patients. The choice was to put them there where they would receive 24-hour a day care by staff who know how to facilitate their needs. No one wants to think of having to be in a nursing home but situations make it necessary for that kind of care to be given. We did the best with the facility that was and is available at the time of our decisions.

Ms. Oehlers you indicated that you could not and would not pick and choose what is good and not good when voting on an issue. Sometimes compromise is the best way to find a solution to a big issue. Whether you like it or not the zoning ordinance and the nursing home facility are linked and do have a lot to do with the outcome. You need to rethink your positions and perhaps do some compromising.

I only hope that it is not too late for the council members who voted no and for the one who wonít commit to please revisit this issue for the good of the senior citizens.

Sincerely a very concerned citizen,

Eileen Fisk
North Branch

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