Pike County Commission finalizes efforts to create foundation to fund emergency medical services

The Pike County Commissioners are in the final stages of creating the Medical Foundation with the Greater Pike Foundation that will help fund emergency services throughout Pike County.

After a long process, Commissioner Ronald Schmalzle said the commissioners have spoken to New York medical provider Northwell Health and with an owner of a 5,000-square-foot property by the Weis Market in Dingmans Ferry about a lease agreement.

The lease agreement is in place and it is Northwell’s plan to make improvements to the property after going through the Delaware Township zoning board. The plan is to open for business this summer.

Northwell plans to have another facility on Route 507 in Palmyra Township, according to Commissioner Tony Waldron.

Northwell is also working on partnering with a Pennsylvania medical provider to make it easier for them to deal with licensing, insurance issues and to work on the bigger plan of the 24/7 emergency mini-hospitals, according to Waldron.

“It’s hard for us to believe, we have been working on this for so long but that is what they are saying,” Schmalzle added.

Commissioner Matthew Osterberg added: “This is something that since I have been in office that we have been working on. This isn’t anything new, but what’s happening now is from all the hard work things are going to be opening up.”

The Commissioners are hoping to take $2 million in seed money from the American Rescue Plan Act and, with the help from the community, turn it into $10 million for the medical foundation.

“If we can do this, I can see this being accomplished in the next five years where there will be some type of 24/7 medical facility in this county,” Osterberg said. “Something that is direly needed and something that has never been here for as long as this county has been here.”