Paid Letters to the Editor

We welcome letters to the Editor, a chance for members of the community to comment on issues of concern to them. All letters must be original, not duplications of letters addressed to public officials or written by others. The views and opinions expressed are those of the letter writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication, its publishers, Editor, or staff.

To the Editor:
Let us clear the air regarding the cancellation of the purchase of Pine Crest Nursing Home by a for profit, out of state corporation.
First, the County maintaining ownership of Pine Crest is good news for the families of Lincoln County. The sale of our County nursing home would have ended a nearly century-long commitment between the residents of Lincoln County and our elderly and most vulnerable citizens.
This has been People for Pine Crest’s position all along. We have collected petition signatures, held meetings, conducted and shared our research, testified at the County Board meetings, and even hosted our own town hall when the County Board refused to hold its own.
When the county government is not responsive to the people, when the local media refuses to ask the hard questions, the only recourse for a concerned citizen lies in the courts. It is the venue of last resort. We are grateful to Mr. Dunphy that at least someone is trying to hold County officials responsible for following their own rules and adhering to the legal requirements for county government.
Second, maintaining County ownership of Pine Crest presents us with the opportunity to come together to keep Pine Crest strong and to serve the people of the County for another 100 years.
What we have learned over the past several months is that the future for Pine Crest is sound and improving. Changes in the Medicaid reimbursement rate have put Pine Crest operations on a financial path that will not require greater investment from the County.
Like every other building in the County, Pine Crest does need capital improvements and we have known this all along too. This is something that we can solve, both for today and the long term. What it requires is the will and the courage of the County Board to sit down with members of the community to get down to the business of figuring out a long-term plan to keep Pine Crest a high-quality, affordable, and local County-owned nursing home.
It’s time to stop looking backwards and start planning for a better future. We are here to do that work and we hope the Lincoln County Board is ready to do the same.

-Michael Southcombe, Merrill, Wis.
People for Pine Crest

The cost for Paid Letters to the Editor is $40.00 per letter of up to 250 words, plus $10.00 per additional 50 words, and must be prepaid prior to printing.