November 1, 2017 at 3:51 p.m.
City Council approves Marshfield Clinic site plan
Work underway on water, sewer lines
City Council approves Marshfield Clinic site plan
A vote was taken within about five minutes of the special meeting being called to order.
The planned clinic will be located adjacent to the dental clinic operated by the Marshfield-based health care provider. The site plan was approved by the city's planning commission Oct. 24.
Rhinelander fire chief and building inspector Terry Williams explained to the alderpersons the reason for the urgency in calling the special meeting.
"They're primarily looking to move quickly and requested the special council meeting so they can get the right-of-way work done, get the sewer and water tapped into the city's North Shore Drive prior to freeze up and get the road fixed up," Williams said. "They are also hoping to get the sewer and water laterals up into the building site itself so they can do some coarse base asphalt work."
Williams said it is common to see site plan requests in the fall where builders are hoping to beat the weather change on new projects.
Immediately after Williams' brief explanation, a motion to approve the request was made, seconded and received unanimous approval from the eight alderpersons. The meeting was then adjourned.
After the meeting, Dr. Jessica Marshall, who will be the clinic physician, spoke briefly with members of the media. She expressed surprise at how fast the meeting went.
"I'm very surprised and happy at how fast and glad that it went through so quickly," she said.
Marshall said the clinic is needed in Rhinelander as patients whose insurance or preference has them treated by Marshfield Clinic physicians are currently traveling to either Minocqua or Eagle River to see a provider.
"I know that Rhinelander has a shortage of physicians currently. There are physicians at the other facilities, Aspirus and Ascension, but there is still a shortage here, according to the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health," Marshall said. "I am hoping to fill that gap and decrease travel time for the Marshfield Clinic patients."
Marshall's specialties include internal medicine and pediatrics.
"I can see patients of any age except for those needing obstetric services," she said. "My facility will also provide lab services and radiology services. We're hoping to have the mobile mammography unit coming as well."
When the primary care clinic opens, Marshall will be the sole practicing physician on-site, however the goal is to eventually add more if the patient demand warrants it.
An Antigo native, Marshall is a graduate of the Wisconsin Academy of Rural Medicine through UW.
"I'm very committed to the rural health population and this state," she said, adding that the construction of the primary care clinic here is to serve the needs of the Rhinelander area patients and is not connected to Marshfield Clinic's push for an expanded facility in Minocqua.
The building will be 35,000 square feet and will employ one medical doctor and six staff members.
It will share an existing access drive off North Shore Drive with the dental clinic. Marshall said the goal is to open the facility by April.
By Tuesday afternoon, contractors had already made the connection to the city sewer and water lines on North Shore Drive and site clearing was underway for the clinic.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at jamie@rivernews online.com.
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