County marks construction of $18.7 million health building

County marks construction of $18.7 million health building
By Barry Eberling | DAILY REPUBLIC | May 29, 2008



Solano County Supervisor Jim Spering speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for a 30,000-square-foot county building that will house a public health clinic, a public health laboratory and a forensic laboratory at Courage Drive and South Watney Way. Photo by Brad Zweerink

FAIRFIELD - Construction will soon begin on an $18.7 million, two-story county building to house a public health clinic, a public health laboratory and forensic laboratory in Solano Business Park.

'You look at many counties in California that are struggling to provide basic services,' county Supervisor Jim Spering said during the groundbreaking ceremony Thursday. 'Here, we're expanding services.'

The first floor of the 30,000-square-foot building at Courage Drive and South Watney Way will house a public health clinic in which people can get primary care without an appointment.

Fairfield Mayor Harry Price noted the clinic will be convenient for users because it will be near bus routes and the Mission Solano homeless shelter.

Part of the second floor will be a public health laboratory, which is moving from Vallejo. The other part of the second floor will be the district attorney's forensic laboratory. Technicians will analyze bodily fluids for drug and alcohol content and identify doses of illegal drugs. Such information is used in court cases.

Solano County presently has such tests done in Contra Costa County for about $855,000 annually. The new laboratory might cost about the same amount to operate but will be much more convenient, District Attorney David Paulson said.

See the complete story at the Daily Republic Online.