MARTINSBURG, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Berkeley County Commissioners, along with members of the Berkeley-Morgan Board of Health and staff of the Berkeley County Health Department, celebrated the kickoff of a $1.9 million expansion project for the department’s facilities today.
“We’re planning for the future, not necessarily what we need today, but what we’re going to need tomorrow,” said Bill Kearns, Director and Administrator of the Berkeley County Health Department, after Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
The project includes the construction of a 4,000 square-foot addition to house the Environmental Health division at the department’s current location on 122 Waverly Court, Martinsburg.
Renovations will also be made to the existing building to accommodate the Clinical Services division.
Lantz Construction Co., based in Winchester, Va., was awarded the $1,997,000 project by the Berkeley County Commission on May 30.
Construction is set to begin on Monday, with the project designed by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates.
“We’re excited to have another opportunity to work with everybody here in Berkeley County,” said Tyler Post, Project Manager for Lantz Construction Co.
Funding for the project includes a $608,000 Community Development Block Grant obtained by the County and $168,028 in County funding.
The Health Department will cover the remaining costs.
“The services provided by our county health department are a very important part of our responsibility to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the community,” said Berkeley County Commission Vice President Eddie Gochenour, who attended Friday’s ceremony along with Commissioner Steve Catlett. “We are happy to see this project get underway.”
