County commissioners approve new health center location

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved moving forward on a location for the new Covered Bridge Healthcare.
The matter was fielded Tuesday during the commission’s regular meeting.
The Board of Directors of Covered Bridge Healthcare Center of St. Joseph County last month accepted a Health Resource Services Administration grant to allow the federally qualified health center to open in Centreville on or before July 1.
The facility will occupy the former Olney building, adjacent to the county jail. Only one proposal, from Brussee/ Brady Inc. of Three Rivers, was submitted.
The cost will not exceed $ 198,200 to complete all work on the facility, which is a county-owned building.
The cost will include work on the building for architecture, electrical, mechanical and plumbing, according to St. Joseph County administrator Pat Yoder. The roof also needs work, but that was budgeted through the building and grounds department.
One of the agreements for the agency is to pay $3,000 per-month rent to the county. Yoder said occupancy is based on a one- year renewal.
The agency recently received confirmation of a $910,000 federal grant to provide health care services.