By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The Wood County Health Department needs a shot in the arm to rejuvenate its building and better serve local public health needs.
On Thursday morning, the Wood County Commissioners agreed to support a $2.7 million renovation and addition to the 29-year-old building on East Gypsy Lane Road.
Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison explained to the county commissioners that the building has changed little in nearly three decades.
“No substantial updates have been made,” he said, describing the renovations needed to “continue to serve the public effectively.”
The health department owns the building, which sits on land owned by the county commissioners – so their approval for the project was necessary to proceed.
“It’s probably long overdue,” Commissioner Craig LaHote said.
“This really sounds like necessary updates,” Commissioner Ted Bowlus said. “It sounds like something we really need.”
“The needs of Wood County are evolving in terms of health,” Bowlus added. “I’m really in favor of this. I think it all comes down to better health for Wood County.”
The support from the county commissioners will now allow the health department to seek bids from architects for the renovation and addition.
Robison explained the health department plans to use $450,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding from the county commissioners, plus has applied for $500,000 from the Ohio Department of Health for the project.
The additional $1.7 million will likely be covered by the health department, Robison said.
The project has three focuses.
The first involves internal improvements, such as lighting, ceiling tiles and carpet – items that haven’t been updated since the building was constructed. This part of the project will also reconfigure parts of the building to make better use of space, create new work stations, and add more collaboration spaces.
The second focus will be the construction of an addition that will serve as a coordination and education center. The need for this type of space became apparent during the COVID pandemic. The center would provide space for infectious disease responses, community initiatives and vaccination clinics, Robison said.
The expansion is likely to open up the building to the south or to the west. Health board meetings would be held in the new space.
And the third part of the plan would involve renovating the existing board room at the front of the building, so the WIC program could once again operate out of the health department site, rather than out of rented office space.
The board of health voted last week to initiate the building project, and seek support from the county commissioners.
“We want to maintain the services the public has entrusted to us,” Robison said to the county commissioners on Thursday.
The health department is currently wrapping up renovations to its community health center, located in the same building. That project is expected to cost about $600,000 when completed.
