County opts to exercise land option for Marbleton Clinic

by Janet Montgomery

Mill Street parking sparks debate between commissioners, ends with a 2-1 vote to contact architects for proposal.

The Sublette County Commissioners opted to “exercise their option” in purchasing land for the proposed Marbleton clinic last Wednesday.

Rural Health Care District Board members Jud Faler and Dave Racich along with Randy Johnson, district director, gave the commissioners and update of the RHCB’s progress with the clinic construction.

“We are making a lot of progress down there,” Faler said.

With five proposals in hand, Faler told the commissioners that the some of the proposal plans for the new Marbleton clinic would use the proposed land, and some used other property.

Commissioner John Linn said that his concern in purchasing property for the project was making sure that the long-term was part of the picture, and “we get as much as we can.”

“It’s been expressed in every meeting I’ve been to ... people want the clinic to remain in that area where it is located,” Commissioner Betty Fear said.

Racich said that the construction could mobilize into the area as soon as March. “They could get something going (at least).”

Commissioner Bill Cramer made the motion for the county to exercises its options to purchase the land for the Marbleton clinic, which Linn seconded and passed unanimously.

The commissioners also asked that the RHCD board be “a conduit” for the retirement center to allow the county to give money to the Sublette Center to construct its new kitchen.

Cramer said the county would give the district money, which would in turn “shove it out the door to them.”

Both RHCD board members were agreeable to the request.

For the Pinedale Medical Clinic, Faler said that hopefully everyone would be moved in by Nov. 14 while construction finishes for the winter on Dec. 1.

Cramer then asked,” How’s it going with agreements for the docs here?”

The commission also asked about the district agreeing to allow access to district records for medical personnel in the middle of the night in order to treat people.

Faler said that district board members met with others from the Wyoming Range Medical Center last Monday to discuss options.

“I think there is a good chance we can do it,” he said.

Linn said that he very much appreciated the effort to resolve the problem, saying, “It’s in everyone’s best interest.”

Also at the meeting, Sublette County Clerk Mary Lankford reminded the commissioners that as per the county’s agreement with the town, something needed to be in the works for the Mill Street parking by July.

While Cramer asked what “the harm” would be if the county did nothing, “they don’t abandon it.”

Fear said, “And we don’t have any parking.”

“It stays the way it is,” Cramer said. “We’re no worse off.”

But Fear said that wasn’t what the county agreed to, which Linn also said was his problem.

“I just don’t think it’s feasible,” Cramer said, refereeing to the economics of constructing a long narrow, multi-level parking facility on the Mill Street.

“It’s not cost effective, I don’t think,” Cramer said. “And I don’t like the idea of building a multi-level structure next to the jail.”

Fear said she didn’t care what he liked or didn’t like, “we got to figure it because there has to be parking provided out there as per our agreement.

Cramer responded with “Or.””

“Or the street isn’t abandoned,” Fear said. “We fought like ... that was a nightmare for two years ... I hope it isn’t the prevailing opinion when it comes to pass. A deal is a deal is a deal.”

Cramer continued with his position that he did not want to build something that cost the county even more money.

“Parking was a huge issue in Pinedale, and it’s going to become a bigger issue as time goes on,” Fear said. “This was supposed to be solution for the parking problem.”

“We didn’t make this agreement flippantly,” Linn said. “I feel committed. We gave our word that we would do something about the parking.”

Linn made a motion, which was seconded by Fear to contact John Carney, architect, for a proposal to design the Mill Street parking garage. Cramer opted to vote against the consensus, with the motion passing two-to-one.

In other business, Road and Bridge Superintendent Butch Penton reported to the commission on the bad spots on Paradise Road with the commissioners ultimately approving engineering for pavement on the upper end of the Paradise Road.

The continued hearing on vacating Beacon and Runway Lanes resulted in the commission opting to adopt the resolution to partially vacate the roads. A public hearing on the Jensen alteration of Paradise Road came and went without comment, prompting Cramer to make a motion to adopt the resolution, Linn seconded and the motion passed.