MORGANTOWN — The Monongalia County Commission on Wednesday approved $200,000 to assist Milan Puskar Health Right as it prepares to move out of its longtime home on Spruce Street.
The relocation will take the nonprofit clinic, as well as Health Right’s Friendship House, out of the city and into its own facility on Ramada Inn Drive, off Scott Avenue, on a piece of property adjacent to the Hazel House of Hope.
The former Ramada Inn has become a focal point for social services and houses agencies including Bartlett Housing Solutions, The Salvation Army and United Way of Mon and Preston Counties.
Health Right’s move was brought to light in September, when the city of Morgantown allocated $800,000 in American Rescue Plan dollars to that end.
Commission President Sean Sikora said he believes the $200,000 allocated by the county is a “good compromise” from the original $450,000 request from the agency.
The funds will be provided as reimbursement for expenditures, with $100,000 focusing on the move and physical facility and $100,000 earmarked for the enhancement of programming.
In other commission news, it appears as if the three-way agreement between the commission, the town of Granville and developer WestRidge for additional traffic controls along University Town Centre Drive has gotten the green light.
Granville Administrator Latina Mayle said Granville Town Council voted in support of that arrangement on Tuesday, as well as to covering the cost of any needed engineering.
If things ultimately move forward, a traffic light will be placed where University Town Centre Drive passes between Walmart and the WVU Medicine facility, and another will be placed at the bottom of the hill, between Granville Square and Sesame Drive, which provides access to Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s and Panda Express.
The town intends to place a right-turn-only sign for traffic turning off Sesame onto UTC Drive. Mayle said the town has reached out to the owner of Granville Square to ask if the same can be placed on their property for exiting traffic.
Lastly, the commission approved a request from Main Street Morgantown to place a holiday tree on the courthouse square from Dec. 3 to Jan. 1.
Main Street Executive Director Barbara Watkins said the Christmas parade, sponsored by the Morgantown Jaycees, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 6.
It was of particular note that for the first time in 15 years, Smokey Bear will be in attendance.
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