Oak Creek Reverses Course on Animal Hospital

Animal Hospital of Oak Creek will open in the city after all.

After the Common Council , Mayor Dick Bolender brought the issue back to the table and asked aldermen to reconsider. This time, the full council was in attendance, including Alderman Dan Jakubczyk, who missed the last meeting to attend to a personal matter.

With Jakubczyk voting in favor of the permit, the council was split 3-3. Bolender broke the tie in favor of the business opening at 8870 S. Mayhew Drive.

Some of the hospital's opponents have argued that the city already had enough vets and another could possibly harm the two existing businesses, and .

Meanwhile, two of the aldermen who voted against the proposal, Ken Gehl and Steve Scaffidi, said they did not feel that an office building was an appropriate location for an animal hospital.

Bolender disputed both of those sentiments, saying the location was a good fit and that the city didn't have the right to tell hospital owner Isaiah Gray he couldn't come here.

"Free enterprise in the city of Oak Creek will always be welcomed," Bolender said.

Gehl said he voted against the proposal for the same reason he did the first time. From a planning standpoint, the building was meant for accountants, dentists and lawyers, Gehl said, who added he would have welcomed the business in a different part of town.

Animal Hospital of Oak Creek will occupy a portion of a multi-tenant office building just south of . The owners also operate Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee.

This hospital will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

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