(KAIR)--The groundwork is laid to keep Horton’s lone nursing home open.

That’s the outcome of a special session of the Horton City Commission held Monday evening.

Horton Mayor Bryan Stirton told MSC News the community showed strong support during the meeting, held at the Horton Blue Building. “We had a good showing of community members at the meeting,” Stirton said. “It was a very positive outcome. The groundwork was laid out in front of us to get ourselves in position to keep the facility open.”

While options were placed on the table for how to implement the plan, nothing is yet finalized, although the goal of keeping the nursing home open continues to progress.

During a special April 10 meeting of the Commission, unanimous approval was granted for the City to proceed with taking the action necessary to negotiate the transfer of the ownership of the business and operations of the Mission Village Living Center to the City of Horton.

That followed the decision of the living center’s board of directors to close the facility.

The Commission was notified of the decision at the start of April.

During the April 10 special session, board member Tom Kidwell told MSC News a number of factors, including a declining population and difficulty in retaining an administrator, played into the decision to close.

According to Stirton, plans outlined during Monday’s special meeting will be discussed further during the Commission’s May 6 regular meeting.