Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department Executive Director Eric Walker and health department board member Patsy Hardy met with the Wood County Commission on Monday to discuss some of the final details of the proposed lease agreement that will see the health department move to St. Joseph’s Landing. Officials are expected to finalize the lease agreement on Thursday during the commission’s regular meeting. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
PARKERSBURG – The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department took another step closer to its goal of securing a portion of St. Joseph’s Landing as its new home as Wood County officials went over the points of the proposed lease agreement with the health department and a representative from St. Joseph’s Landing.
The Wood County Commission met Monday with Eric Walker, executive director of the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, Patsy Hardy, board member of the health department, Pat Lefebure, Wood County Attorney and Jon Defibaugh, building manager of St. Joseph’s Landing, to go over the lease items.
The MOVHD offices were closed after Memorial Day when a water main break severely damaged the building at 211 Sixth St. in Parkersburg. Since then, the health department’s operations have been conducted at various locations around the city.
The health department plans to take over the former emergency room at St. Joseph’s Hospital and the fourth floor of the doctor’s office building there. They plan to take over space for their women’s and children’s services, which PARS has been operating out of for a number of years, so there are exam rooms and other things that don’t need to be built to accommodate the health department when it moves in.
Some of the discussions took place behind closed doors during a closed session on Monday. No decisions were made or votes taken after the session.
“It was a good deal,” said Commission President Blair Couch.
The county plans to lease 32,400 square feet of space at the facility, and figures submitted to county officials indicate the county will pay $6.17 per square foot.
Base rent is approximately $13,950 per month and approximately $167,400 in the first year.
According to County Administrator Marty Seufer, the health department spent about $100,000 last year on maintenance at its current building on Sixth Street. Walker said they spent about $5,000 a month on utilities and parking.
“We will be in the same area,” Said Couch.
Under the proposed lease, St. Joseph’s Landing will pay utilities, except for internet. Internet will be provided by the state, which already has offices of the Department of Health and Human Services and some other state agencies in the building.
“It’s already in there,” Said Couch. “We have to bring it over to us.”
Couch said he will send their insurance representatives to the area to look at the new Wood County 911 Center, the new Wood County Resiliency Center and the space at St. Joseph’s where the health department plans to locate.
“We will inspect all properties and ensure that they are covered by our insurance,” Said Couch.
Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said the health department’s move to St. Joseph’s Landing was like a transition from the 18th to the 21st century.
Hardy, who was CEO of the former St. Joseph’s Hospital, said some areas of the facility are older than others.
“It will be an enrichment,” she said.
Colombo said it would take a lot of work and money to bring any of the other buildings under consideration up to the current site of St. Joseph’s Landing.
Officials discussed the need for an annual lease because the health department is funded by the state and those funds can change at any time depending on political developments. Officials also discussed the possibility of the state taking over the operation of health departments across the state, which could impact a long-term lease.
“We don’t know what restructuring governments will undertake,” said Hardy.
Lefebure said they would have to show officials in St. Joseph’s Landing that the situation in the county was so bad that they would not be able to continue if they decided to withdraw.
Couch said they didn’t want to financially tie future commissions to a long-term lease that could last 20 to 30 years. After the closed session, he said they signed a 30-year lease with automatic renewal every 10 years. They would have 180 days to move out at any time if necessary. They also talked about parking, generators, plumbing and other things around the building.
Defibaugh said they have a 30-year lease in place and there are clauses they use with other government agencies (state and federal) to which they lease space that allow them to modify, adapt or terminate depending on available funding.
“Everything is set for one year,” he said.
After that, it would be possible to make changes to the agreement at any time within 180 days, Defibaugh said, adding that this was also included in the proposed lease.
“It is based on uncontrolled financing and financing changes,” he said.
He offered the option of limiting the lease to a specific period and then renegotiating it to accommodate changes in financing and other concerns, leaving it up to county officials to decide what they felt most comfortable with.
“I’m trying to make it as affordable as possible because I think this is a good step for the community and everyone involved in this process,” Defibaugh said, “It provides good space for the health department and makes good use of what should be a community building.”
“For me it’s about making it work.”
Commissioners expect to finalize the lease agreement and vote on it during the Commission meeting on Thursday.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at [email protected].
