The Health Department is now a stand alone Saline County agency.

Saline County Commissioner John Price stopped in during the third hour of the KSAL Morning News Friday with a closer look at what lies ahead. “There’s a lot that has happened in the past, and a lot of hard feelings but I think the Health Department will just pull together and do a good job,” he said.

“We don’t want to live in the past, we need to live in the future.”

The fissure of the shared City/County Health Department began in May of 2012 when inspectors found a structural problem with the roof, leading to the closure of the building.

Salina Saline County Health Department employees have spent the last two years making due in several different offices to provide health services.

Fast Forward

Last Friday the City of Salina and Saline County finalized an interlocal agreement that has the city paying $500,000 for repair of the current building, and the county paying $500,000. Saline County can also pull from the department’s reserve funds of about $250,00 to remodel the space and make updates.

Price tells KSAL News that Riley Construction out of Manhattan is working to replace the old roof timbers with a new steel frame.

Price added the project is expected to be completed in June of 2014.