Lyon County is exploring new options as it pertains to its public health and environmental health services provider.
For the past several years the county has contracted through Flint Hills Community Health Center for those services. County Commission Chairman Rollie Martin confirmed to KVOE News Thursday the county may be looking at going a different direction at the end of this year.
The county has stated it will not renew FHCHC's contract in its current format for 2021. Martin says the county recently published a legal notice and has opened the bidding process for the contract.
Martin says the decision to move forward with this action came after a review of finances earlier this year. He says the county is simply exploring its options to ensure it is providing the county with the best possible service for the right price.
Martin adds the COVID-19 pandemic, while not the main factor, did play a role in the county's decision on the matter. Martin declined to comment when asked if the county's decision was in any way a reflection of its satisfaction of the services provided by the Health Center in recent years.
Martin says requests for proposals are due Oct. 30. According to Martin both FHCHC and Newman Regional Health have been invited to submit bids.
FHCHC Executive Director Renee Hively says the health center was informed of the move via a letter delivered near the start of October. Hively says it is surprising especially as it comes in the midst of a global pandemic.
Hively says the health center has submitted its letter of intent and will be submitting an RFP in the weeks to come.
The county's current contract with FHCHC will expire at the end of December.
The current contract provides $450,000 per year to the health center which equivalates to roughly $2.25 million over five years. The health center has had a contractional relationship with the county since 2015, however, the county had worked closely with the Lyon County Health Department since the 1920s.
The health center was officially established in late 1997 and separated from the health department in 2004. No discussions on the matter took place during open session of county commission meetings as professional services contracts, such as this, do not require that step.
According to Martin, the contract did not go out to bid back in 2015. Background discussions will lead to one applicant being selected for tentative approval. Martin says final approval of a new contract will take place in open session.
You can find a full list of Environmental Health and Public Health responsibilities by clicking here.
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October 16, 2020 at 02:43AM
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Lyon County ending current contract with Flint Hills Community Health Center; bidding process for new contract now underway - KVOE
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