Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 |
Photo – Memorial Hospital of Carbon County – Bigfoot99 file photo
County officials have approved a grant request to upgrade an elevator at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
Last year, representatives from Memorial Hospital pushed for the creation of a new taxpayer funded hospital district to support the financially troubled institution. Hospital administrators reported that maintaining the 53-year-old facility costs $1 million annually, with the county government contributing $150,000 toward those expenses.
Voters defeated the hospital district measure last November by just 89 votes. Despite the setback, the aging facility has continued to deteriorate. Although Memorial Hospital crews have kept operations running over the years, the building’s elevator system remains a persistent problem.
During the September 2nd Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett said the Board agreed to provide a grant match of up to $250,000 for repairs to the Memorial Hospital building. Vice Chairwoman Bartlett said hospital administrators are preparing to submit a $500,000 Mineral Royalty Grant request to the Office of State Lands and Investments to repair one of the facility’s elevators.
Mineral Royalty Grants are funded by revenue generated from oil, gas, and coal extraction on state-owned lands. They support emergency needs, regulatory compliance, and essential public services such as water, sewer, or public safety infrastructure. In Memorial Hospital’s case, the grant will be used to address critical facility issues.
During the September 2nd Board meeting, Vice Chairwoman Bartlett said she is overseeing the grant application and asked to submit the request without Chairman Travis Moore reviewing it again.
The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 2025-23, authorizing submission of a Mineral Royalty Grant application to upgrade one elevator at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County and granting Vice Chair Bartlett authority to sign the application documents.
