Unless there's an unexpected circuit court challenge, Ministry Health Care has gotten approval to construct a new helicopter pad at Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff.
Ministry officials have sought to build the upgraded helipad for 10 months. Oneida County's Planning and Development committee approved a conditional use permit, but that permit was challenged by the town of Woodruff. Last week a board that hears county land use appeals, the Board of Adjustment, also approved the conditional use permit.
Ministry vice-president Laurie Oungst says they will begin meeting to set plans in motion...
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".....in addition to the ambulance and garage structure, we will be incorporating the earthen berm and other steps involved in satisfying other requirements of the conditional use permit...."
Oungst says construction will take about 90 days. She says the central location of Woodruff in the Ministry service area was the reason they wanted the upgraded facility...
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"....Woodruff is central within that region and placing it at the hospital will improve the responsiveness for the emergency paramedics...."
There have been neighbor objections. The town of Woodruff has opposed the facility, saying the neighbors would be subjected to more noise than the current landing spot. The earthen berm was mandated by the county to mitigate some of the noise conerns.
The town of Woodruff could take the matter to circuit court, but a source indicated that is not expected.
