Washington County Board of Health discusses space issues

With Federation Bank purchasing the former U.S. Bank branch in Washington, the Washington County Department of Public Health, which rents space in the current Federation Bank Building at 110 N. Iowa Ave., is looking for options.

At Thursday’s Board of Health meeting, Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski said that they need to be thinking about new space.

“This building will go back on the market,” Pettit-Majewski said. “We need to be thinking about space.

“I would like some assurance that we won’t be left scrambling.”

Board of Supervisors Chair Richard Young, who was at Thursday’s meeting, said that he has already formed a committee to look at the space needs for all county departments.

Members of that committee are Supervisor Marcus Fedler, Auditor Dan Widmer, County Attorney John Gish and County Engineer Jacob Thorius.

“You will work with the committee when the time comes,” Young said. “They will talk to each different department as we go through that process.

“There are plans for expansion at other places.”

The county will be receiving about $4 million in federal COVID relief grant money, but officials are still unclear as to how that money can be spent.

“Our No. 1 priority would be to build a whole new administration building,” Young said. “My opinion is that all departments should be out at Orchard Hill, and the court can have the courthouse.

“You could hook all those buildings together to make one big complex.”

Pettit-Majewski said that she spoke with state Auditor Rob Sand directly about the matter.

She reported that he said the construction of a public health center would be an appropriate use of the grant money.

She produced a document from the U.S. Treasury Department with guidelines for the grant money.

“The county auditor should be putting together a committee to determine how that money is spent,” Pettit-Majewski said.

Young said he had not seen that document and had received different information from the Iowa Association of Counties.

“I’ll see if we can get this on the (Board of Supervisors) agenda Tuesday,” Young said.

Pettit-Majewski reminded the board that the clock is ticking.

“We’ve got a year timeline before we may have to leave this space,” she said. “They only have to give us a 60-day notice.”