PORT ANGELES — Clallam County’s public health department will make a hop, skip and a jump from the county courthouse into a new office next month.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ health division will move across Lincoln Street into the remodeled main floor of the Third Street Professional Building at 111 E. Third St.
“We start moving in the first week of July,” said Joel Winborn, parks, fair and facilities manager.
The new office has room for the 13 employees, an interview office, two dedicated exam rooms and two woman-infant child rooms.
“That will help,” department director Iva Burks said.
Woman-infant child rooms are used for nutrition education. The current office has one woman-infant child room, one exam room and no interview room, Burks said.
Environmental unit
Other than a dedicated emergency phone line, the health division will be closed during the move from July 6 through 9, Burks said.
Environmental health — a separate arm of the Department of Health and Human Services — will remain in the county courthouse at 223 E. Fourth St.
An opening ceremony for the new office near Safeway is planned for Aug. 6, Burks said.
Clallam County will receive a $2,154 credit from Portland-based Beaman Architecture if the commissioners approve a change order in today’s business meeting.
During the bidding process, the county issued an allowance for floor preparation. The sum of that total was not spent, Winborn told the commissioners Monday.
The change order drops the total cost of the project to $339,028.
Poulsbo-based Drury Construction is the contractor.
The commissioners are also expected to sign a $15,200 contract with Gold Buckle Rodeo Co. for the 2010 Clallam County Fair.
The Roosevelt-based rodeo company will provide animal stock, pick-up men, judges, a chute boss, an announcer, secretary, timers, bullfighters and flank men for the Aug. 21-22 rodeo at the Clallam County Fairgrounds.
The agreement includes $4,500 in prize money for the cowboys and cowgirls competing in nine rodeo events. Funding for the rodeo is included in the county budget.
Shari Ioffrida, Clallam County fair manager, recommended the bid to Gold Buckle.
Other discussion
In other discussion, the commissioners indicated they would authorize a $4,378 right of way purchase for the Old Olympic Highway widening project.
The purchase was one of several rights of way the county has already bought. One more piece of right of way remains at Friends Evangelical Church, 1291 N. Barr Road, Agnew.
Commissioner Steve Tharinger has had discussions with church officials, who say they want a guardrail near the campus instead of a cedar fence like most of the properties along the widened road will get.
“I can see their point,” said Ross Tyler, Clallam County engineer.
“They had a car not make a corner there at Barr Road a number of years ago. [It went] about 45 degrees right into the building. Knocked it right out of the foundation.”
Old Olympic Highway will be widened to 40 feet to allow space for two 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders on both sides. The thoroughfare’s centerline will be moved 12 feet to the south to avoid a row of utility poles.
A $750,000 state grant will cover most of the $1.2 million cost. Construction is expected to take place later this summer.
“We’re still on schedule for the first of August,” Tyler said.
Clallam County will make a call for bids after the final right of way agreement is signed.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
