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Wetzel/Tyler Health Department Schedules Meeting To Choose Site for New Building

The Wetzel/Tyler Health Department on Monday scheduled a February special meeting to choose a site for its new facility — and multiple Paden City residents asked the department to stay within their city limits.

Department board members, after holding a public hearing concerning the new site, emerged from a closed-door session to say they will hold a special meeting in February to make a final selection. The specific date for that meeting was not determined Monday. The department’s board has several sites under consideration throughout the region.

The prospective sites include: the lot beside the New Martinsville Methodist Church; the Jim Klug property located at 100 North Bridge Street in New Martinsville; the old Dialysis Center property next to WVU Medicine Wetzel County Hospital; Dr. Neal Marshall’s office in New Martinsville; the property beside the Tyler County Board of Education office in Middlebourne; lots in Paden City at the corner of Fourth and Main streets; and renovation of its current location at 425 S. Fourth Ave. in Paden City.

During the public hearing, two Paden City residents spoke, asking the board to keep the new facility in Paden City. Turner said that moving the health department to New Martinsville would reduce the employee count and possibly the population in Paden City.

“The Wetzel/Tyler Health Department does a great job, and the residents of Paden City appreciate their efforts,” Turner said. “However, it is a business that Paden City needs.”

Turner added his belief that the move could also lead to reduction in vaccination rates for the elderly, since there is no public transportation and driving to New Martinsville is not easy for those people.

Cork Bowen of the Paden City Development Authority expressed support for keeping the health department in Paden City either by renovating the current location or purchasing property at Fourth and Main streets for a new building.

“The Health Department has been in Paden City for over 30 years and provides a great service,” said Cork. “Keeping the services in town enables some folks to walk to the clinic and with no public transportation the location in Paden City is a benefit.”

The Development Authority is also willing to sell the current building that houses the department to the Wetzel and Tyler county commissions for possible renovation, Cork said. Cork added that he has spoken to the owners of the lots at the corner of 4th and Main, and they are willing to sell.

Barbara Cecil Birkhimer, ER manager at Wetzel County Hospital and also resident of Paden City, said that it would be better for the health department to move closer to an existing medical facility. Her concern was the wait for either EMS from Sistersville or New Martinsville to arrive in Paden City are critical minutes during an emergency.

“Moving the Health Department closer to a medical facility is in the best interest of the public no matter which location is chosen,” Birkhimer said.

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