Martinson proposes sale of Garden view

MONONA — Monona Mayor Lynn Martinson saved his biggest proposal for last during last Monday’s Monona City Council goal setting meeting when he proposed selling city-owned Gardenview Senior Community.

“What are we as a city doing in assisted living?” he asked.

Martinson explained that the city became owner of the 12-year-old facility when it worked with a group that raised funds for it. The city helped the group secure the loan that provided funds necessary to build. Martinson said the city’s only responsibility with the facility is to secure and maintain an operator for the 34-unit facility which is currently operated by Bloomington, Minn.-based Tealwood Senior Living.

Martinson addressed expected concerns from those who donated to the facility, noting that if the people had not donated the money and the city had not assisted the building would not exist.

“The donations you gave accomplished what they wanted to accomplish,” he said. “Does that mean forever, then, that the city has to be responsible for that facility?”

The city previously had the facility appraised and has spent $100,000 to fix its windows.

 

“I feel this would be an opportune time to fix it, fix it correctly, and put it on the market,” he said. 

Read the full article in the Wednesday, January 31, 2018 edition of The Outlook.