The Marshall County Health Department got a positive response from the Marshall County Council to move forward with the building on Illinois Street in Plymouth which was the home of Bowen Health.
President of the Marshall County Commissioners, Stan Klotz, and Marshall County Health Department Administrator Sandy Dunfee came before the Council on Thursday night to ask for approval to move ahead with the purchase of the building as the new home of the Health Department. The department had outgrown its current location in the Community Resource Center and was in search of a place to meet those space requirements.
The proposal was for the Health Department to pay $250,000 out of funds from the Health First Indiana program and hold $100,000 also from that fund for any renovations that might be necessary on the building.
The total cost of purchase would be $450,000, with Klotz stating that the building had been appraised at around $900,000. Bowen agreed to the remaining $200,000 coming over time from the County.
Council member Jim Masterson began the discussion by saying that before any renovations were undertaken, the title should be in the County’s name. The Council also proposed an arrangement for the payout of the balance of $50,000 a year for four years, adding that the funds for that payout should come from the Health First program fund if they are available during that time, with the county taking responsibility for the payments if the program should end in those four years.
A motion to that affect was unanimously passed by the Council.
Since the meeting was the first of the new year for the Council the annual reorganization vote was held with Tim Harmon appointed the President and Nicole Cox appointed Vice President.
The Council also voted to move their meetings to the second Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. ET.
