October 27, 2017 at 3:45 p.m.
Planning commission approves Marshfield Clinic site plan
New clinic slated to open in April, if City Council approves
Planning commission approves Marshfield Clinic site plan
The city's planning commission signed off on the site plan for the clinic Tuesday and the full City Council will review the matter as part of a special meeting Monday evening.
According to Rhinelander fire chief and building inspector Terry Williams, the new clinic would be located near the intersection of North Shore Drive and Faust Lake Road on property adjacent to the dental clinic at the Marshfield Clinic Family Center.
It's estimated the building will be a little more than 3,900 square feet in size.
"It will be using the existing driveway coming in for the dental clinic but will have an offshoot of that for their own driveway," Williams said.
Steve Campbell of Wendel WD Architecture, Engineering, Surveying and Landscape Architecture, P.C. said the design for the clinic "is a pretty basic building."
"It is a small practice that Marshfield Clinic is looking to get situated here in the city of Rhinelander," Campbell said. "The goal is to get the practice up and running and see where we go from there."
The site plan calls for a concrete pad for a mobile MRI unit or other portable imaging equipment that typically is moved from site to site on a semi trailer. The project will include a total of 16 parking stalls.
Commission member Sandra Bergman asked about the number of staff the clinic will employ and who it will serve.
Farrah Lemmon of Marshfield Clinic said the clinic will employ six people, with plans to possibly increase to seven or eight full-time employees.
"They will offer basic lab services, X-ray, and mobile mammography as well as the capabilities to have a larger unit come on-site if needed," Lemmon said. "Just for diagnostic imaging purposes."
"Don't we have those same facilities less than a mile away?" asked Bergman.
At present, Lemmon said Marshfield Clinic patients have to travel to clinics in either Minocqua or Eagle River.
"Our focus is to try and start seeing primary care patients within the community here," she said.
Commission member Mark Pelletier asked if the plans include the possibility for future expansion of the facility since Marshfield Clinic owns the property to the south.
"I think that would have to be a future conversation," Lemmon said.
"Is there any relationship between the Marshfield Clinic that will be built and Ascension that owns Saint Mary's?" Bergman asked.
"Personally, I can't speak to that relationship," Lemmon replied.
"Is there a business relationship?" Bergman pressed.
"Is there a business relationship? Not that I'm aware of but I'm not the right person to probably ask that," Lemmon replied. "I think Ministry would be the one to have the answer to that one, or someone in our corporate office."
Bergman asked Williams if the site plan meets all of the city's criteria and he assured her that it does.
Bergman then made a motion to approve the site plan as proposed and Pelletier seconded it. The motion passed unanimously.
After the commission approved the site plan, Lemmon said the goal is to have the clinic open by April 2018.
On Thursday afternoon, an agenda was posted for a special meeting of the City Council for final approval of the site plan.
The commission is currently short one member following the resignation of Joe Sturzl last week. Anyone interested in being appointed to the planning commission should contact mayor Dick Johns at 365-8600.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
WEATHER SPONSORED BY
E-Editions
Latest News
E-Editions
Events
May
To Submit an Event Sign in first
Today's Events
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.
Comments:
You must login to comment.