Lexington's Council is examining combining health, pharmacy, and fitness services for city workers. Currently, employees utilize a health clinic and pharmacy situated off Leestown Road. Council member George Meyers believes a comprehensive center could save tax dollars and improve employee health. "And the more opportunities and reasons that we have for families to go work out, the more they're gonna do that, the healthier they are gonna be and the less it's gonna cost us, the taxpayer, in the long run," said Meyers.
Under a comprehensive health concept, employees visiting the health clinic could be shepherded into an adjacent fitness center program. Presently, city employees can receive a subsidized membership for YMCA centers.
Jenifer Wuorenmaa is with the office of the Chief Administrative Officer. She says the city's partnership with the YMCA will be reviewed. "We would have to have a discussion whether or not we were going to continue to subsidize that membership in addition to having a second facility that offered fitness or if we would forgo that relationship and just have our facility," said Wuorenmaa.
Mayor Jim Gray suggests staying with the current arrangement due to concerns about costs. Council member Kevin Stinnett believes more information is needed before plotting a future health care strategy. He says a different location is a possibility. "You know, most of the time, I'm hearing from employees when they go to the doctor, they go when they're sick and they're not at work,” said Stinnett. “So it doesn't matter what part of town the wellness center is located."
The issue will be examined further in early 2015.?
