Pettalia: ‘DHHS not moving out of county or Rogers City’
by Angie Asam–Staff Writer
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is not moving out of Presque Isle County or Rogers City according to a report state Rep. Peter Pettalia gave to the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners Friday.
Pettalia, Sen. Jim Stamas, DHHS officials and two county commissioners met last Wednesday before Pettalia’s presentation to the board Friday.
(Photo by Angie Asam
“We had a meeting with DHHS folks from Lansing. Two members from the department came up and joined us this Wednesday to give us an update on what is going on with the DHHS building and serving of Presque Isle County. I was unaware and was made aware that day that the DHHS service is not leaving Presque Isle County and is not leaving the city of Rogers City,” said Pettalia.
Pettalia went on to explain that what DHHS is doing is moving from the building they are currently operating out of to another location within Rogers City.
“I was made aware of that for the first time Wednesday. I had thought that they were vacating a brick and mortar presence in Presque Isle County and were going to disperse their workers accordingly to what the needs of the community were. The good news is that they are staying in Rogers City; they are staying in Presque Isle County. Their presence will remain and services will be at the level that they are now. No personnel are losing their jobs, the present personnel will just be moved to the new location,” said Pettalia.
Following the meeting Wednesday Pettalia left with a sense of comfort. “I am very comfortable that our citizens in Rogers City and throughout Presque Isle County will remain serviced well, no changes whatsoever to them,” said Pettalia.
The challenge that the county and community will face is having another empty building.
“The changes that are being made at DHHS here and throughout the whole state, we were told 47 units were under some form of scrutiny one way or the other and I believe the number was 18 that they were going to move to different locations. It is based on money. Where they believe they could save money. Some of them are moving to courthouses, city buildings and even into schools. Those decisions are department decisions they are not legislative decisions so they don’t come across my desk. When I had first heard about this about 10 weeks ago is when I reached out and I was further educated to a level of comfort Wednesday,” said Pettalia.
County commissioner Stephen Lang was also in on the meeting. “I would agree with you. I think there was a lot of miscommunication in the early portion of this discussion and I think at least myself along with you and Sen. Stamas got quite an education Wednesday,” said Lang.
“The department did admit that their communication was lacking on this. They will be sending out a press release actually describing what they did, what their plans are. They admitted that their messaging was poor and it brought up major concerns in Presque Isle County and amongst the folks that work there and the folks that desire service. I am comfortable and I am convinced that we are not going to lose service, we’re not going to lose personnel, the people in Presque Isle County I think will be represented as they are today,” replied Pettalia.
Commissioner Mike Darga, who was very vocal when he heard that the DHHS building in Rogers City was closing was not present at the meeting held Wednesday but was called and told that Pett
“I think as a whole, the whole ordeal was to keep the service here. It’s not so much the building, even though a beautiful building is going to be empty. Our main objective was to keep our citizens at bay and being able to get the services. We will find out what the savings to the state are at a later time. I was very vocal on it. I was very concerned. I think the concern is gone now, we can tell our constituents and all of the people that use the services that it will not change at all it is just going to be in a new location,” said Darga.
“Until Wednesday I did not know that they planned another footprint within Rogers City and remaining in Presque Isle County. They admitted that they just didn’t message it. As most of us, and I think most of the people in Presque Isle County were under the thoughts that they were leaving the brick and mortar presence in the county but still remaining the service. I was always made aware that no one was losing their jobs and services weren’t diminishing,” said Pettalia.