County buys former food bank
Staff writer
County commissioners Monday agreed to pay $1 for a building at 1220 E. Main St. in Marion that formerly housed the county food bank.
The idea is to build a new health department at the site, provided one can be designed to fit that space. The property is owned by Marion Advancement Campaign.
“The next step would be to draw up a plan,” commission chairman David Mueller said. “This in no way guarantees a building will be built.”
Health department director Krista Schneider told commissioners in February that her plan for a building would include space for additional programs and storage of items the health department gives out, such as smoke detectors, child safety seats, and carbon monoxide detectors.
She also wants space for family planning programs, programs to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
She is seeking space for vaccination clinics; the Women, Infants and Children program; separate lab area due to infection-control risks, a locked med room to meet pharmacy requirements for the family-planning program, and a closed area to store biohazardous waste, she said.
“I am currently working with an architect to develop a basic plan as voted on and passed by the commission,” Schneider said. “I will be bringing the basic plan to the commission when it has been completed. The building will have garage space for the health department vehicle and health department preparedness trailer.
“That has been figured into the square footage. In addition, the proposed plan also includes a small conference room to host meetings and provide client education classes. Our Safe Kids items (car seats, pack n’ plays, bicycle helmets, life jackets, smoke detectors, sleep sacks, medication disposal bags) are currently stored in our offices and in a non-climate-controlled 9-by-20-foot storage container.”