A hurdle has been cleared for the sale of the local health department building to proceed.
By a vote of 3-0 at a meeting on Monday, the Platte County Commission approved clarifying a warranty deed on the Platte County Health Department building at 212 Marshall Road.
As previously reported and discussed by county commissioners and health department officials in back-and-forth fashion for the past month, a buyer for the health department building had signed a contract for purchase. In the closing process, it was discovered the property is held in the name of “Platte County, Missouri, a political subdivision of the State of Missouri and its successors for the use and control of the Board of Health Center Trustees of Platte County, Missouri.”
Two the county commissioners–Dagmar Wood and Scott Fricker–wanted to table signing a clarification of the deed until they received some answers on a variety of health department topics.
Fricker in recent weeks exchanged written communications with the Andrew Warlen, the health department director, on a variety of topics, including building ownership, financial transactions, spending decisions by the health department, the health department’s receipt of $400,000 in federal aid money that was in control of the county commission during the pandemic, and more.
The health department’s board of trustees in April of 2020 had finalized the purchase of a building at 7925 NW 110th St, Kansas City in Platte County. The plan is to consolidate all health department services at that location and sell the health department buildings in Platte City and Parkville.
Fricker this week apparently reached the point he was satisfied enough to move forward with clarifying the warranty deed on the Platte City property. But not without some additional verbal shots at the health department, including inserting his feelings about an upcoming election of health board trustees.
“Over the last month I’ve learned a lot about the Platte County Health Department. As far as I can tell, those that were involved in the decision to purchase a new building in early 2020 really don’t care about transparency, fiscal responsibility, accountability to the taxpayers, or the small business community. These things are clear. But what’s worse, is they have no regret, and would do it all over again if given the chance,” Fricker said Monday.
“I’ve done my best to educate the voters on this matter, and on April 4, the voters will decide if the health department needs new leadership. I urge everyone to vote against the incumbent who is running for reelection, and vote for candidates that are committed to transparency and fiscal responsibility, and who understand that they are, in fact, accountable to the Platte County taxpayers who fund their operations.”
There are eight candidates for three open positions on the health board at the upcoming April 4 election. Only one incumbent is seeking re-election.
RECENT COMMUNICATIONS
Some of the most recent questions/answers from Fricker to Warlen at the health department include:
What exactly did you rent during those six months that justified expenditures of over $200,000? Please provide square footages, type of space, location, etc.
The expense was to use approximately 123,065 square feet of real property located at 4400 NW 41st Street, Riverside, Missouri 64150. The premises are a mix of warehouse and office space.
What exactly did you do in that space? The audit says temporary office space and you said warehouse space. Please clarify.
The space was used to operate a COVID-19 vaccination site. During the operational period, 21,224 COVID-19 vaccinations were administered. Current health department buildings had inadequate space to allow for adequate social distancing and traffic flow for the high volume of COVID-19 vaccinations.
News outlets reported in March 2021 that Northpoint Development donated 120,000 square feet of warehouse space to the Health Department for mass vaccinations. Is this the same space? If it was donated, why did you pay over $200k in rent? Please provide more details on this.
It is the same space. Northpoint Development made substantial equipment/labor donations to the mass vaccination site. The cost of the space was ultimately not donated to the health department but the lease amount was far below the market rate. The space met all the requirements for an efficient mass vaccination site.
DID HEALTH DEPARTMENT
PREVIOUSLY PAY RENT?
Previously, Fricker and Joe Vanover, who is second district county commissioner, had opposing stances on the ownership status of the building. Vanover said “Platte County merely owned the property for the use and control (by the health department). Just like a parent who owns property for a young child and must transfer it when the child comes of age, the time has come for the county commission to deed this property to the health department.”
Fricker, however, said otherwise recently, claiming “we have documentation from 1960 that the health department was paying rent. They contributed various items like air conditioners in lieu of rent in 1960. It was clear they were a tenant. Long term tenancy does not grant you ownership.”
But in recent days the health department disputed and seemed to correct Fricker’s claim.
In a response letter to Fricker dated March 1, health director Warlen said:
“The rent you referenced was for space in the “Platte County Welfare Building. This was not the building at 212 Marshall Road.”
Warlen explained that the structure formerly known as the “welfare building” is now a single family residence with an address of 1112 4th Street in Platte City.
“The Welfare Building was acquired by the county between 1949-1953. The health department rented space in the Welfare Building in 1960,” Warlen said.
“According to a local historian, the Welfare Building was difficult to heat and cool. The local historian remembers the A/C window units at the building, one of which the health department left behind for the county in 1960 in lieu of partial rent as you referenced. At no time did the health department pay rent to occupy the building at 212 Marshall Road. The health department moved to its current location at 212 Marshall Road in 1960.”