Riverside talks healthcare

The Riverside Town Counsil meeting began with the minutes being read and accepted. The floor was then opened to Leslie McLinskey and Will Faust. The two are part of a healthcare sustainability group that looked into different options to make sure the health care needs of the Valley were being met. The solution the group have arrived at, building a critical access hospital. This type of hospital provides stable funding and will allow the Valley to have a full time doctor. It will also increase the number of services available such as 24 hour care, labs and imaging.

“The other big thing we are trying to do is to make sure we are saving senior care here in the valley. What we have currently is not sustainable, its extremely important to maintaining our rural lifestyle,” said Faust.

The healthcare sustainability group has done a lot of work in this past year. Faust said, “its maybe a little scary how fast its moving”. In the past two weeks, a property was acquired, surveys and utility flow tests have been completed. The location of the property is between the Forest Service Building and the Whistle Pig. The group is working with the architect to finalize the plan.

Bids were taken from construction companies in the intermountain west region about four weeks ago. According to Faust, Sletten Construction won the bid. He went on to say, “the reason we chose them is they have a very good relationship with Wyoming Department of Health, they know how to work with their regulations and work efficiently”.

The construction company also provided an idea that may help speed the project along. Faust informed the meeting participants that, “they came to us with an idea of breaking up the hospital into segments, that allowed us to push back the start date from sometime in August to potentially breaking ground as soon as the frost goes”. He went on to say, “construction firms have had success with this. They can start on the administration, the reception area, sides and start pouring the concrete building while they work on the hospital plans”.

According to Faust, they have met with Ivinson Memorial Hospital CEO Doug Faus in Laramie.

“We have submitted a request for inspectionals (s.i.c.) here in the Valley, they seem very, very agreeable to the request so those negotiations are on going,” said Faust.

Of Ivinson Memorial Hospital, Faust went on to say, “they are looking forward to reaching out to Saratoga as we build the hospital”.

Premier Bone and Joint have also agreed to provide services a couple times a month.

Faust pointed out the current lack of options in healthcare causes an impact to both employees and employers in the form of lost work days.

Several people at the meeting expressed gratitude that, in the near future, the residents of the Valley will not have to travel so far for their health care needs.

“We have a very specific plan we brought here today. If you start getting too elaborate, (…) it economically doesn’t make a lot of sense. We talk with the USDA for supplies, we are counting on them for some funding. The mantra is, modest in scope and nature,” said Faust.

Faust ended by making a request for letters of support so the USDA will look favorably at the project.

South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services Joint Powers Board representative Helen Weiland spoke next. She presented news that they have hired a full time EMT and supervisor for the north side.

“I think she is going to be excellent and we have extended the application period for the south side. We’ve got postings out everywhere. Hopefully we will come up with someone as qualified as the north side. Her letters of recommendation and resume fit right into what we are looking for. We have not found that person for the south side yet and we are not going to hire just anybody,” said Weiland.

Sierra Madre Joint Powers Board representative Lee Ann Stephenson let the members of the counsel know that they are moving forward with replacing 127 meters. She said that they are “looking at two companies, their sales reps are going to come and speak to us, that (replacement of the meters) will be part of our 6th penny deal”.

Mayor Leroy Stephenson asked if the fireflies and the older dynomatic system are going to be replaced along with the meters. Lee Ann said, “the whole system will be replaced, it will all be done within about a 10 day period. They will come in here like mad men with 127 meters. They will also replace the pressure valves”. The software for the new meters will be able to be downloaded on a daily basis.

An MOU from the county for zoning and planning between Carbon County and town of Riverside for development of a certain area outside of town was briefly discussed but was placed on the agenda for next month.

Under new business, an amendment to the the fiscal year 2019-2020, ordinance No. 225, budget to account for the extra money spent on trees, park and the old town hall renovation was postponed until next month.

Dave Cogswell was hired as the back up waste operator.

The Town of Riverside only received one bid for snow removal from Brad Hebig at $125/hour for 2019-2021 seasons. The motion passed.

Mayor Stephenson stated that the security cam for the town hall was purchased and should be installed by the next meeting.

Lastly, a suggestion was made by LeeAnn Stephenson for the town to consider waiving the fees for volunteers of the ambulance. This would hopefully entice more volunteers as they are short handed. The fees aren’t very much, but Stephenson said that “ its more of a gesture by the town to say we value your service”. Research will be done to see if it is legal to do so. The mayor stated that he would not be against waiving the fees if it is legal.