Wood County Board of Health has settled on plans for a $2.4 million expansion of the health district’s
East Gypsy Lane Road building.
The board discussed two smaller proposals but agreed to pursue the expansion that provides the most room
for growth.
The plan involves a 11,900-square-foot addition that includes a new meeting room and three unfinished
suites for future use by medical providers. Long-term options could include dental, optometry and
mental-behavioral health services, as the district’s health center plans to expand services as part of a
two-year federal grant that could become a sustained funding source if successful.
The health center is currently undergoing renovations paid for by the grant, while staff have approached
Wood County commissioners about funding the larger building project. A plan has not been finalized, but
commissioners have expressed support for funding the project or issuing bonds which would be repaid by
the health district.
Renovating the health center required temporarily moving the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program to
another location on site.
Of the two other expansion alternatives prepared by Poggemeyer Design Group were a 2,100-square-foot
WIC-only addition costing $420,000; and a $1.4 million project at 6,900 square feet that would allow
some future expansion.
When reviewed by the Finance Committee, it became clear that using the first plan would remove some
options for the future.
"I’m not a real big fan of Option 1 because of the fact that it limits what we can do down the
road," board member Richard Strow said at a finance committee meeting last week. "If we’re
going to make a footprint, we better make it big enough to where we’re good down the road."
Health district representatives previously discussed plans with commissioners but were asked to meet
again when those plans progressed further. The two groups met again last week.
Board members discussed a merging of two plans that would phase in the medical suites or the board room,
but the group opted to pursue the full expansion.
"I think we’re giving (commissioners) good justification, showing planning," said board member
DJ Mears.