YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Ann Arbor-based company, LynxDx, was created to focus on prostate cancer screening, but after the pandemic hit, they were able to include testing for COVID-19 with the support of the Washtenaw County Health Department.
LynxDx has testing sites in Ann Arbor, Monroe, Brighton, and Lansing, and when they heard that the county health department wanted to see a community testing site set up in the eastern part of the county, LynxDx saw it as an opportunity to expand their testing with a location in Ypsilanti Township.
Unfortunately, township officials said LynxDx did not submit any of the paperwork necessary to have the zoning board even consider approving the site for operation as a testing site.
"We did not know they were there until after they actually appeared," said Doug Winters, general counsel for the Charter Township of Ypsilanti. "We started receiving phone calls in regards to the operational issues, traffic flow issues, and with regards to the condition of the parking lot."
Ken Disney, who is director of operations for LynxDx, said they were still finalizing the contract with the property owner
"We needed that finalized contract in order to submit for the permit for the site location. So, the property owner said, yes, start using the site immediately while we get this all signed. So we set up," Disney told 7 Action News. "Once we had the finalized contract, we did start submitting all the paperwork to the township. Unfortunately, at that point, it was, you know, too late."
But township officials said they only received the paperwork they had been requesting within about 30 minutes of issuing the 14-day notice to cease operations.
Despite the notice, Winters said township officials have not closed the door on granting approval for LynxDx to operate at that location.
"If they wish to proceed in good faith, the township would be more than willing to take it to the Zoning Board of Appeals," he said.
But it seems LynxDx has decided to leave the township. Disney said they are working with the property owner on other locations.
"We're going to get all that paperwork in before we even move."
Click on the video to hear more in Kimberly Craig's report.