Dear Editor,
I was very disappointed to see the use of the word “institutional” used to rezone the Quality Inn site. The term institutional brings up all kinds of old stereotypes of persons in institutional care.
TOL could simply have rezoned the land to multi-family residential use. There is no place in our society to house families in institutions. That was done in the last century. The term brings up image of the movie One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
In fact there was no need to have any rezone at all as the land was already zoned for multifamily use.
The people planning to live at the property now are no different than when it was the Quality Inn and will more or less be the same number of residents.
It really begs the question “Why do we need to rezone” since nothing has changed.
The only real achievement that TOL can take ownership of is the anxiety that was created in the community. I am personally embarrassed to be part of a community that attempts to create division rather than unity. We are all equal, but you would not know that if you think we need some of our citizens to live in an institution.
Mayor and council should be a bit more sensitive about causing anxiety in our community.
Wally Martin, Murrayville