Let's Build A Sustainable Our Island Home Without Burdening Taxpayers

To the editor: I think the solution for Our Island Home is right in front of us, and it doesn't involve $137 million of taxpayer money. Martha's Vineyard just built a skilled nursing facility for $68 million. It's open, residents love it, and it proves that it can be done for way less than $137 million.

Since there is already a Friends of Our Island Home (FOOIH) organization, and since FOOIH is already partnering with the Community Foundation for Nantucket (CFN) to raise funds, wouldn't it make sense for these two organizations to announce a capital campaign with the goal of building a privately funded model?

CFN has the institutional know-how, FOOIH has the enthusiast members, Martha's Vineyard has the blueprint for success.

Announce a capital campaign at Town Meeting, and make a privately funded facility a reality on Nantucket. No one is against a new skilled nursing facility on Nantucket, what they are against is spending $137 million of taxpayer's money on it when Martha's Vineyard just built an even larger facility, for half the cost. Let’s build a sustainable home for our elders, not a burden for our taxpayers.

Nancy Moylan
6 Old Quidnet Milk Rte