Council Reviews Plan for City Employee Wellness Center; Staff Cites ~2-Year Payback

The Davenport Committee of the Whole discussed Sept. 17 a plan to create an on-site employee wellness center inside the public works facility to deliver occupational health services for city employees, saying the $1 million capital project would be funded from the city health and risk funds and could pay for itself in about two years. Why it matters: The proposal shifts work-related medical visits, immunizations and initial care for minor injuries from external providers into a city-run clinic, a change that city staff say will produce operating savings and faster treatment for employees while the public questioned whether the expense is appropriate for taxpayer-funded city functions. Public comments reflected the split: one resident urged preventive, community-wide health efforts instead of a clinic “for city employees,” while others said the city should have in-house occupational medicine to reduce waiting time and lower long-term costs for workers’ compensation and treatment management. City staff described the proposal as a renovation of existing space in the public works facility. Director of Public Works and project staff said funding was budgeted in the capital-improvement plan with roughly $750,000 from the health fund and $250,000 from the risk fund. The city’s internal analysis estimated annual savings of $600,000–$800,000 in operating costs by reducing external contract services; staff said independent consultants had verified the projections and estimated a return on investment in under two years. Supporters on the dais said in-house occupational health would reduce staff downtime and speed case management. Opponents in public comment questioned the need for a municipal clinic given that flu and shingles shots and basic care are widely available through pharmacies and retail clinics, and asked whether taxpayers should fund services that could be delivered privately. Council members asked staff to confirm the detailed scope of services and how savings were calculated. Staff said the clinic’s functions would include pre-employment and DOT physicals, treatment for sprains and minor injuries, vaccinations, fitness-for-duty assessments and case management for light-duty placements. The project advanced through the meeting without a final vote but was placed on the council’s consent agenda for formal action next week.