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Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate
EDITORIAL
Among the issues facing Town Meeting voters at the Special Town Meeting on September 21 are two significant, although different, issues that need to have similar strategic approaches on part of the Town and its Board of Selectmen. The first is the future of Sherburne Commons and the other is One Big Beach at Surfside. In both cases, the Board of Selectmen should continue to take tough stands - and acquire from Town Meeting the tools needed to back those up - but, in the final analysis, negotiate the best deals they can, so that neither issue goes south. Articles 10-16 would allow Sherburne Commons to be sold to a for-profit entity; for the entrance age to be lowered from 62 to 55 years old; for a nursing home facility to be located on the site and for the units to become condominiums and sold. Article 17 would allow the Town to take over Sherburne Commons and while no funding amount is mentioned in the article, it would allow for the Town to operate the facility and, if necessary, fund the community's operating losses prior to its sale. Voters should remember that the Town owns and operates Our Island Home. Last year, taxpayers paid nearly $3 million to subsidize Our Island Home, a 45-bed nursing home. The Town should not go into the business of running a senior living community and should make the best deal it can with Servant Healthcare of Florida. Article 26 would allow the Town to take by eminent domain easements over 500 feet of private property that would allow for vehicles to drive from the public beach at Surfside to Point of Breakers. While it is important to pass Article 26 at STM in order to create One Big Beach, we urge the Town to continue to negotiate easements with the 10 property owners before exercising the option of eminent domain. Eminent domain will take time and it will be expensive and hopefully, the Town will not have to go forward with using it. The Board of Selectmen is on the right path, and should hang tough. But when push comes to shove, negotiated deals should be made. |
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