Commission tables Well Path Recovery Solutions agreement, requests operating plan and long-term funding details

Corey McConnell, senior director of partnership development for Well Path Recovery Solutions, updated the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission on the company's plan for a regional behavioral health facility at 3100 Hills Avenue (the Justice Center) and asked the commission to consider an economic-development agreement to support hiring and workforce training for the project.

McConnell said the proposal is for a 40-bed, coed facility consisting of 20 beds for males and 20 beds for females at an ASAM 3.5 level. He told the commission the project would create 33 jobs immediately and about 55 in the first year as the facility ramps up. McConnell said the initial funding package discussed with county staff totals $516,309; of that amount about $294,357 is budgeted for job-creation-related items (training, orientation and hiring support). "The facility is coming along quickly," McConnell said; he asked the commission to consider a draft economic-development agreement that would help fund workforce development and training.

Commissioners asked for more details about the facility's long-term operating plan, the certification timeline with the state's behavioral-health authority (DMHA) and how recurring operating costs would be sustained once start-up funds are exhausted. One commissioner asked whether the positions would be county employees or contractor staff; staff clarified some positions may be paid under contract arrangements tied to county agreements but emphasized the county had not yet committed to operating subsidies.

Because the meeting packet included a draft but the commission had not yet received a final operating agreement or detailed operating-budget projections, a motion was made and seconded to table the agreement until the group could supply the operating agreement, staffing and funding details. The motion to table carried on a roll-call vote. The commission asked Well Path to return with: (1) the final operating agreement and state-certification timetable, (2) a staffing and payroll plan describing whether positions are county-contracted or private employees, and (3) a long-term funding plan that shows how daily operating costs will be met beyond one-time startup support.

The commission recorded the procedural action (table) rather than committing funds; staff and the applicant agreed to return with the requested materials at a future meeting.