Burlington school board approves up-to-$997,000 buildout for on-site health clinic

The Burlington Area School District board voted to authorize construction of a district-run health clinic in the 496 building, approving phase one of the project not to exceed $997,000.

Superintendent Jill told the board the state granted conditional approval to begin the renovation and that the clinic’s first phase will include six exam rooms, a lab-draw area, reception and staff offices. “We are building it bigger than we need,” Jill said, explaining the district intends to allow outside entities to use excess capacity to help offset operating costs.

Jill said the district has transitioned to a self-funded health-insurance model this year and that the savings realized between January and June — which she cited as roughly $1.4 million — will cover the clinic buildout. “With the savings that we’ve had so far with our self-funded health insurance, we can completely fund the project with the savings we’ve seen,” she said.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the bid and funding cap; the superintendent confirmed the approved commitment is limited to the not-to-exceed amount specified in the construction bid packet. The board moved, seconded and approved the item by roll-call vote.

The board’s authorization covers construction of phase one only; future phases, operations and any third-party user agreements will be brought to the board for approval. The district intends the clinic to reduce long-term health-care costs for district employees and to provide a resource for other local employers if capacity is made available.