– Jody Norwood/Tribune-Courier || A department evaluation could delay construction on the new MC Health Department.

Board of Health votes to postpone construction bids

Bids pending
results of dept.
evaluation

By Mary Garrison
Tribune-Courier Features Editor
mgarrison@tribunecourier.com

BENTON – The Marshall County Board of Health is reevaluating its needs concerning the construction of the new Marshall County Health Department. Last year, the board secured the option on a property located behind Beanie’s BP on the Hwy. 641 bypass.

Now, the board wants to be certain it is making the right decision.

“We’re looking at spending $5 million,” said chairman and Marshall County Judge-Executive Mike Miller. “We’re looking at cuts and a lot of changes that will be taking place.”

Miller said he wants to be certain members of the board and the community know what the health department needs and whether the proposed changes and designs are necessary.

“We thought it might be a good time for a review from outside the department,” Miller said.

Enter Dr. Jerry Mayes. Mayes, who has performed internal evaluations for the Kentucky Association of Counties [KACo]. Mayes said when evaluating a facility it is important to know “what good looks like.”

“How do we know when we’re doing a good job,” Mayes said.
The process is simple. Mayes said he examines and assesses several factors in determining the efficiency level of an operation, including key competencies, management and leadership, perception of peer competency, current and desired enforcement policies and group training.

“There is nothing punitive about it [the assessment],” Mayes said. “This is to provide [the department] with the opportunity to improve. I’ll provide you with a tool to make this health department better, whether or not you choose to do that is up to you.”

Mayes estimated a 60-day evaluation to cost anywhere from $12,000 to $14,000, however the figure was just “a rough ball park” and the full cost is uncertain.

Board member Marty Johnson said an evaluation could be useful in determining final design specs for the new facility.

“We may find we need more space for one service, and less for another,” Johnson said.

The board elected to form a four-man committee to negotiate a contract with Mayes, outlining services expected and a closer figure on precise cost of the study.

In the meantime, the board determined to postpone the advertisment of construction bids on the new facility, pending results of the evaluation. Bids were originally set to go out on June 22.

The process was initially scheduled to begin once the City of Benton approved the annexation of the new property into city limits. Benton City Council approved the motion in its last meeting, and formal paperwork has been sent to the state. Processing was not complete as of Thursday’s Board of Health meeting.