Ask Mr. Answer Person: Now that the VA has decided to locate in the former Wal-Mart building, what's next?

The Veterans Administration announced on June 18th that it would rent space in the former Decorah Wal-Mart store for an Outpatient Clinic.  Since then several decorahnews.com readers have asked about the steps that need to be taken in order for the VA Outpatient Clinic to open:

Mr. Answer Person says it is up to the owner of the Wal-Mart building to make the physical changes necessary for the Veterans Administration to move in by the end of February.

But the Veterans Administration also needs to do some work to get ready.  VA spokesperson Valerie Buckingham says there will be numerous job openings at the Decorah Outpatient Clinic.  The openings first will be posted internally to existing Veterans Administration employees who might be interested in transferring to Decorah.  Then the remaining openings will be posted on the federal government's job website, www.usajobs.com.  Buckingham says it will be several months before that happens--perhaps the end of the year.

As for patients of the Veterans Administration hospital in Iowa City or any of the other VA hospitals, patients who live in Northeast Iowa have already received letters notifying them of the upcoming opening of the Outpatient Clinic in Decorah.  Those patients do NOT have to transfer to the Decorah clinic--where they go for VA services is up to them.  However, area residents now know about the new clinic--and most of them are expected to take advantage of the nearby facility.