November 21, 2025 |
Photo – Carbon County Logo – Courtesy of Carbon County Wyoming
The Carbon County Commissioners responded to an administrative oversight on their part and officially committed $250,000 for elevator repairs at Memorial Hospital in Rawlins.
Wyoming state statute 18.8.102 requires the board to levy a tax on all taxable property to maintain a hospital and its facilities. In Carbon County, the Board of Commissioners allocates $150,000 each year for upkeep of the 53‑year‑old Memorial Hospital building in Rawlins.
Last year, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County pushed for a taxpayer‑funded hospital district. The plan called for a three‑mill property tax levy on homeowners, expected to raise $1.5 million a year. If the measure had been approved, the money would have gone toward new medical equipment and building maintenance.
Speaking at the September 12th, 2024, hospital district meeting in Hanna, Memorial Hospital Director of Clinics Abbie Webster said maintaining the aging facility costs approximately $1 million a year.
The hospital district measure failed by only 89 votes in the general election.
Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer Kerry Ashment elaborated on the facility’s maintenance costs at the June 3rd County Commissioners meeting. Ashment said that the hospital spends more than $1.1 million a year on property maintenance. To help cover those costs, Ashment asked the County Commissioners to increase their yearly contribution by 233%, from $150,000 to $500,000.
During the September 2nd meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett announced that, rather than allocating $500,000 to Memorial Hospital for building maintenance, the county agreed to contribute $250,000 toward a $500,000 Mineral Royalty Grant through the Office of State Lands and Investments. If approved, the grant would fund elevator upgrades at the hospital.
Mineral Royalty Grants are funded by revenue generated from mineral production on state lands. The money is set aside to help local governments and special districts pay for essential public infrastructure projects, such as water and sewer systems, public safety, and healthcare infrastructure.
The Board of Commissioners voted to allow Vice Chairwoman Bartlett to submit the $500,000 grant on behalf of Memorial Hospital of Carbon County, with a $250,000 match from the county.
The grant match was discussed again during the November 18th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting. Bartlett said that while completing the grant application, she failed to notice the Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board’s requirement for a resolution confirming the county’s grant match.
The Board of Commissioners voted to authorize an official letter to the Office of State Lands and Investments, committing up to $250,000 toward the Mineral Royalty Grant.
The grant application for Memorial Hospital now goes to state government where it likely will be reviewed by State Loan and Investment Board during its regular meeting December 4th.
