Hospital district option approved for ballot

The option for voters on whether or not to establish a hospital tax district to benefit Memorial Hospital of Carbon County (MHCC) will be placed on the general election ballot in November. The decision to place it on the ballot came following the August 6 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC).

The proposed hospital district would give an increase in property taxes to those living within its boundaries. Proponents of the measure say new taxes will provide financial support to the MHCC.

The areas included in the potential district include the northern part of Medicine Bow, Hanna, Sinclair and Rawlins. Areas in the two current active healthcare districts and the Platte and Little Snake River Valleys are not included, as they already have other healthcare districts or hospital entities. Citizens not living within the boundary areas will not have the formation of the district on their ballot.

In addition to raised taxes, the proposal would include the formation of a new board to oversee the district. Members of this board would be elected in the November ballot.

During the meeting, a public hearing was held to allow members of the public to voice their support and concerns regarding the potential district. Employees of the hospital and MHCC board members were given the opportunity to speak first.

Mark Kostovny, member of the MHCC Board of Trustees, voiced his strong support for the proposal.

“I’m one of those people who believe that if you live in a county you should support that county,” Kostovny said. “For the people that live here it’s just convenient to have [a hospital] at home and not have to travel all over the countryside.”

Jessica Seldomridge, the MHCC Director of Nursing for Outpatient Services, spoke about her experience working at the hospital.

“I see on a weekly, daily basis how important it is to have medical services quickly respond to people and take them to our ER so we can intervene. I see patients all the time that would not make it without [MHCC],” Seldomridge said. “I want for our community to continue to get that kind of care that we provide.”

Next, other members of the public were given the opportunity to speak.

“[I’ve] dealt with the hospital through thick and thin. It’s always had a problem here in Rawlins. This is the only county-owned hospital in the state of Wyoming that is not supported by a hospital district,” said Rawlins mayor Terry Weickum. “As far as economic development, there are many, many companies that will not take the risk of bringing their services here if they have no chance of getting [healthcare] here.”

Several more public comments were given, with people speaking of their personal experience with the MHCC and its importance to the community.

“The two top priorities when it comes to spending taxpayer money [should be] schools and healthcare. I think those are just the foundations of a good community,” said community member Kris Thorvaldson. “As far as I’m concerned that’s a non-negotiable. If we don’t have good schools, and we don’t have good healthcare, then we don’t have much.”

Not all comments were positive. Several comments raised concerns about the impacts of raising taxes as well as the proposed boundaries of the hospital district.

Linda Fleming wrote a letter for comment, bringing concern that the proposed district boundary overlapped with the “Little Snake River Health Care district boundaries in the area north of the Sweetwater-Carbon County line.”

Following the public hearing, the BOCCC commented on the resolution. The commissioners emphasized the need for public education on the proposed district, as well as the ability to let citizens vote on the issue.

“Let’s get this on the ballot and let the people decide,” said Commissioner John Johnson.

Jones gave a reminder that government processes move slowly and the effects of the hospital district would not be seen immediately if passed.

“With the experience the fire district had, it’s about 18 months before you see any money and it’s a whole year to get the paperwork and the operations of that board together,” Jones said.

A motion to put the proposed hospital district on the November ballot passed unanimously.

The September 17 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners will take place at the Baggs Higher Education Center in Baggs at 2 p.m.