Fair Meadow Nursing Home Discussion Continues In Fertile

FERTILE, MN—The Fair Meadow Nursing Home took up most of the conversation at Monday night’s Fertile City Council meeting.  During public comments, a resident expressed concern about how the City Council has handled operation of the city-owned Fair Meadow Nursing Home since administrator Angie Leiting resigned under fire in June.

Then, Kari Swanson and Dave Mortenson (pictured), who are the administrator and acting CFO, respectively, of Cornerstone Nursing and Rehab Center in Bagley, spoke before the council. They were not on the council meeting’s agenda.

Fertile Councilman Matthew Massmann then jumped in.

Mortenson says nursing homes in rural areas like Fertile need to stay open.

When audience members criticized the Council, Massman stepped in again.

The Fertile City Council voted to look into Cornerstone’s proposal, which is not a firm bid to buy Fair Meadow Nursing Home. Afterward, Massman addressed the audience about the search for a new administrator for Fair Meadow.

Also at Monday night’s meeting, the Fertile City Council voted to start meetings at 7pm on the first Monday of each month beginning with the February meeting.