County Commissioners green light funds for hospital Master Facility Plan

The Hot Springs County Commission set aside Tuesday $28,000 from their emergency expenditures which will pay for the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital’s forthcoming Master Facility Plan.

The $28,000 for the plan, which will be undertaken by Erdman Healthcare Strategic Planning Services, will include only the undertaking of the plan itself and not the extra expenses which include travel, accommodation and food for Erdman employees. HSCMH will pay those expenses itself.

The plan will include facility assessment, concept of development, and a budgeting plan among other crucial elements regarding the development of HSCMH.

The last master plan, published in 2012, had four major elements: assessment of te HSCMH facilities, definition of the requirements of the facility to serve the community, outlining of future facility options, and recommendations of financing alternatives to address the facility’s needs.

The commissioners showed full support for the upkeep and evolution of HSCMH during the meeting. “We are really, really trying to maintain a hospital in Hot Springs County,” said commissioner Brad Basse, adding that a hospital in Thermopolis was crucial to the wellbeing of the members of the community.

Other business undertaken by the commissioners on Tuesday included the opening of bids to repair library sidewalks, which was given to Schneider Construction of Worland for $7,672. The bid stated that work will be done at the end of October.

The commissioners also discussed the upcoming airport grand opening, which is slated to take place on Nov. 1. The event will feature catering by Chubby Cheeks and will feature United States Senator John Barrasso.

Construction on the new airport is on track to be completed by the dates set forward by engineers at the beginning of the project, and the commissioners also reviewed and signed leases for a number of airport hangars during Tuesday’s meeting.