CENTER— Dante Gonzales with Valley-Wide Health Systems (VWHS) addressed the Center Town Board Tuesday, Nov. 13 to ask the town’s assistance in overseeing a block grant Valley-Wide dental is seeking to relocate its dental clinic on Worth Street in Center.
Gonzales explained the present clinic’s accommodations are too small and the clinic needs to modernize its facilities. He asked Center trustees if the town would oversee the finances for the grant, to be disbursed in February, explaining they will not be expected to contribute any funds.
The clinic will relocate to the former Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall in Center, across from Center Schools. Valley-Wide has already purchased the building “and we got it for a good price,” Gonzales said. The move will increase space for the dental clinic by 1,500 square feet.  The renovation of the former worship center will cost about $1 million, Gonzales told the board.  
According to Gonzales, the new facility “will triple our assets.” After the move a hygienist will be available at the clinic five days a week. Currently there is no hygienist at the office on a regular basis.  Two “non-licensed” staff members will be hired and outreach staff also will move to the new office.
The old Center dental office will be expanded for occupation by Saguache County Public Health. County administration and land use offices currently located in the basement of the Saguache County Courthouse will relocate to the former Saguache Public Health building in Saguache. The offices in the courthouse now housing administration and land use are no longer large enough for the present staff and will be used for other purposes.
The renovation of the clinic will begin by next August, Gonzales said. Center trustees told Gonzales they would have their attorney draw up a memorandum of understanding and will get back to him.

Other business
Center trustees discussed new insurance plans and addressed delinquent utility accounts, long a problem in the town. Town Administrator Brian Lujan said many accounts have been delinquent numerous times and policies must change. If residents have not been current for the previous six months, Lujan said, “We will have to tell them we can’t work with you.” The town will have a new policy on the delinquent accounts ready for discussion and a possible decision Nov. 27.
Town project manager and building inspector/code enforcement officer David Mahaffie reported on a telephone conference held recently with water attorneys working for the town. The attorneys advised the town on what they should do to keep the water rights to the wells on the Consaul property. They told the town not to put anything financially into wells on the property at present, but to plan to do so in the future. “We are in really good shape as far as water goes,” Mahaffie told the board.