Fertile City Council Meeting

FERTILE, MN—Monday night’s Fertile City Council meeting began with a petition being presented to the Council.  It states that residents of Fertile and surrounding areas are concerned about Fair Meadow Nursing Home and want it to remain locally owned and managed…and that citizens of Fertile be allowed to vote on Fair Meadow’s future.  Fertile City Administrator Lisa Liden spoke about the petition as well as talks between the City of Fertile and Cornerstone about buying Fair Meadow.

It was also revealed that Fair Meadow Nursing Home has a different administrator.

Liden tells R&J News there hasn’t been any progress on hiring a permanent administrator for Fair Meadow Nursing Home.  The last permanent administrator for the nursing home, Angie Leiting, resigned under pressure last June. Leiting has sued the City of Fertile, Mayor Dan Wilkens, and Fair Meadow Nursing Home regarding the loss of her job.  The case is in Polk County Court; a motions hearing was held April 24 and Judge Ann Rasmusson is taking those motions under advisement.

In other business at Monday’s Fertile City Council meeting, the Council approved street closings, the use of a city lot and the use of Cannon Park for the annual Fertile Car Show on June 8.  The Council also approved items regarding the Polk County Fair including a parade permit for July 14, a 5K run on July 13 and a 3.2 percent malt liquor license for the final day of the fair, Sunday, July 14.