Emily Lanham, assistant government director of the Mid-Ohio Valley Well being Division, and Malcolm Lanham, director of neighborhood well being and menace preparedness for the Mid-Ohio Valley Well being Division, appeared earlier than the Wooden County Fee on Monday to debate choices relating to well being. residence constructing in downtown Parkersburg that not too long ago suffered a water line break. County officers need to tour different buildings and see if it could be possible to maneuver the well being division to a brand new constructing. (Photograph by Brett Dunlap)
PARKERSBURG — The Wooden County Fee has a number of places in thoughts that might function the brand new location for the Mid-Ohio Valley Well being Division whether it is decided the well being division wants to maneuver.
It's been greater than two weeks since a water line break shut down workplaces within the constructing at 211 Sixth St. and providers had been dealt with from different places within the space whereas the constructing was cleaned.
Commissioners have been discussing choices for the previous week, and officers talked about different buildings within the space that might home the well being division, in the event that they decide a transfer is important.
Commissioners will tour Campbell's Plaza at 214 Seventh St. subsequent Monday. The constructing is greater than 50,000 sq. ft with 5 flooring. It’s positioned simply behind the present well being division constructing and there’s a walkway connecting the 2 buildings.
Officers mentioned the constructing as soon as housed a name middle.
Officers are additionally inspecting the previous Lincoln College constructing close to Van Devender Excessive College on 31st Road. Fee Chairman Blair Sofa mentioned he has been in touch with college board officers at that location and can quickly take a tour. The college board is utilizing the constructing as a warehouse.
Commissioners additionally need to tour the accessible area at St. Joseph's Touchdown to see what's there.
Final week, the county obtained a bid of $61,120 to restore and substitute a few of the brick on the highest six ft of the constructing's exterior. That estimate didn't cowl every other issues officers say the constructing has.
Emily Lanham, assistant government director of the Mid-Ohio Valley Well being Division, mentioned demolition work on the third and fourth flooring for abatement work was full and they’re awaiting state approval inside 10 days earlier than they’ll start.
MOVHD serves Calhoun, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wooden counties. Sofa mentioned these counties ought to contribute to the price of a brand new constructing.
“We have to have a dialogue” The sofa mentioned.
Malcolm Lanham, director of neighborhood well being and menace preparedness for MOVHD, mentioned lots of these counties present area for the well being division to function in these areas. Emily Lanham mentioned they pay hire for a few of these places.
Commissioner Jimmy Colombo mentioned he wished a abstract of how the well being division makes use of its present area to see if something may very well be performed to decentralize all of its providers, in addition to get a abstract of the completely different points going through the well being division.
Sofa instructed they tour the well being division first earlier than going to Campbell's Plaza so commissioners know what the well being division is coping with.
“Then we are able to go to Campbell's Plaza and see how they match collectively.” he mentioned.
Sofa, who serves on the well being division board, and the Lanhams mentioned the well being division constructing, which is about 32,000 sq. ft, was stuffed to capability with providers protecting medical preparation and administration, WIC, disasters/threats.
“We have now run out of area” Emily Lanham mentioned in regards to the area points the present constructing has.
Moreover, the well being division pays about $three,000 a month in parking for its present location for areas in entrance of the constructing and within the parking zone. Discovering a spot the place they didn't should pay for parking might assist offset a few of the prices.
Sofa mentioned they wanted to prioritize area for providers (similar to medical and WIC), whereas different providers, similar to accounting and others, may very well be performed in several places to cut back the quantity of sq. footage wanted.
Colombo mentioned the well being division had some cash constructed up for emergencies, a few of which may very well be used to get a brand new location.
“It wouldn't damage if we might leverage a few of that as nicely to make this transition work.” he mentioned. “It might actually assist us.”
County officers mentioned they would like to maintain the well being division downtown to allow them to proceed to serve most of the individuals they’ve served for years, for the reason that web site is alongside the town's bus routes and It has allowed entry to many individuals.
Malcolm Lanham mentioned they’re attempting to get a abstract of the addresses of people that use their providers to allow them to see what areas their clients are coming from in an effort to probably higher place the providers sooner or later.
“We have to take a look at what we are able to decentralize what we are able to.” he mentioned.
In different companies:
* The fee unanimously accredited appointing Tim Flinn to the Wooden County Airport Authority and Invoice Summers to the Wooden County Strong Waste Authority.
*The fee won’t meet on Thursday, June 20, as county workplaces will likely be closed in observance of West Virginia Day.