Commissioners Give Learning Center $100K
Board open to helping fund Pinedale Clinic expansion
by Rob Shaul

At their regular meeting Tuesday, the Sublette County Board of County Commissioners moved to give the Pinedale Learning Center $100,000 in county funds to help fund the Center's new building under construction near the town park. The commission had committed the money to the Learning Center during last year's budget session. Tuesday, Learning Center Board members told Commissioners Betty Fear and Bill Cramer that the money was necessary.

According to Learning Center Board Chairwoman Peggy Noble, the total construction cost for the new facility is $726,000. The Center received a $250,000 grant for the facility, in addition to the county money. It has raised another approximate $289,000 from private sources, but still stands $87,000 short of the total amount needed. The new building is scheduled to be completed by July 1.

Mrs. Noble, joined by fellow board member Tom Brown and the Learning Centers Anita Sullivan, asked the commissioners to consider a "bridge loan" for $87,000 to the Learning Center to cover the shortage. She said the board would continue its fundraising efforts and pay back the county as its fundraising money came in.

Betty Fear questioned this idea. She noted that the Learning Center had attained and paid off a loan from a Jackson bank when construction on the building began "I don't want to get into the business for us to make loans and compete with local banks," said the Commissioner.

Bill Cramer also had concerns. "My gut reaction is that we can't do that. I just don't think we can do loans," he told Mrs. Noble.

Pinedale Clinic Expansion

Also on Tuesday, the Commissioners heard from Sublette County Rural Health Care District Board Members Dave Racich and Greg Anderson concerning a proposed expansion at the Pinedale Medical Clinic. Messrs. Racich and Anderson told the Commissioners that more office space was desperately needed at the Pinedale Clinic.

The initial proposal is for a 1,144 square foot addition that will add space for four new offices. The estimated cost of the addition is $170,000.

The clinic building is owned by the County, not the District, and the Health Care Board members asked to Commissioners to consider funding one-quarter of the project, or $42,500.

Mr. Anderson added that the District had commissioned an architect who specializes in medical facilities to study the layout and flow of the Pinedale clinic and make recommendations back to the Health Care Board concerning needs and how best to meet them. The consultant will make his report at next Monday's Health Care District board meeting in Marbleton.

Both the commissioners were open to the proposal and will wait to hear back from the Heath Care District Board after it has heard from the consultant.

Other Issues

- Road & Bridge Supervisor told the commissioners the county needed to fence around the 240 acre Marbleton landfill. The required fence is a 7-foot "hurricane' fence. Mr. McGinnis estimates the cost to enclose the landfill will approach $20,000.

- Grace and Ty Anderson approached the commissioners about getting a road easement over a small piece of county-owned land near the Museum of the Mountain Man. The Andersons own the adjacent parcel and they need access to a planned building site.

During the presentation, the question came up on whether or not the county actually owned the parcel in question. Both Mr. Cramer and Ms. Fear were open to granting the easement, but wanted the County Surveyor to investigate the area and make a recommendation.

- Work on paving Granite Lane and Stone Trail will begin by mid-may, Mike McGinnis told the commissioners. He also informed them that his department had hauled the left over sand from last year's highway project north of Marbleton to the new Ag Center at the fairgrounds. The sand will serve as the Ag Center's base within the arena.