The doors will stay open for those in need of medical services.

Georgiana’s satellite health clinic will continue to operate twice monthly in the city, following the city council’s vote last week to provide the Butler County Health Department with the requested annual $5,400 ($450 per month) donation.

Ziba Anderson of the BCHD said the clinic in Georgiana would continue to open its doors on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

The loss of a nurse coupled with a hiring freeze on any additional staff forced the department to switch to twice-monthly, rather than weekly satellite clinic openings in south Butler County.

While the likelihood of moving back to the former schedule in the face of continued budget constraints is unlikely, Anderson said, the clinic is staying open extended hours twice a month, “and still providing the same level of service as before.”

“We apologize that we had to have this cutback, but I assure you that without this appropriation, we would have to cut back even further,” Anderson said.

According to Anderson, Butler County is one of the few in the area still operating a satellite clinic.

“We want to continue to provide this service to this area for as long as we can.”