CARES Act funding in question

Whether CARES Act funding can be used to fund a new hospital and clinic in Crook County has been thrown into question. According to representatives from Crook County Medical Services District, it is now believed that the $1.25 billion directed to Wyoming cannot be used for capital construction – which means it cannot be applied to the cost of two new buildings.

“We found out that the COVID-19 CARES fund will not help with any costs so we have cut back on some expenses we had originally included,” reported Judy Hutchinson, chairman of the hospital foundation, in a statement read out by Trustee Connie Lindmier at last week’s meeting of the CCMSD board.

Hutchinson was referring to plans for a new clinic in Hulett, for which the foundation had applied for CARES Act funding.

“We are applying for additional grants and we are seeking and receiving private donations as well,” her statement said.

Lindmier clarified this, explaining that current thinking is that the CARES Act funds, “cannot be for new construction. It has to be either for temporary or for repairs or upgrades.”

Trustee Sandy Neiman further added that it can be used to upgrade isolation facilities, but cannot be used for “any new construction whatsoever.” Isolation facilities are believed necessary to prevent a disease such as COVID-19 from spreading through a healthcare facility; in the case of Crook County Memorial Hospital, isolation is difficult to achieve without single-occupancy rooms.

Lindmier questioned whether this means the district can still apply for CARES Act funding for a new hospital, considering that no private rooms are available within the facility. Is the district’s bid for a new hospital building also likely to be turned down?

CEO Micki Lyons confirmed that the district is still going ahead with its application.

“We still are applying,” said CEO Micki Lyons. “It’s kind of interesting because the legislation that came out from the State of Wyoming is completely contradictory to the information that came out from the SLIB board. In the legislation from the state, it can be used for capital construction.”

Lindmier suggested that the capital construction wording was removed at the federal level. Nevertheless, said Lyons, the application is still in place.

“We’re working on it,” she said.

Meanwhile, according to Hutchinson’s report, the Hulett clinic project is continuing on despite the questions surrounding CARES Act funding. A groundbreaking was recently held during Hulett’s rodeo weekend.

“We shared billboard pictures of the outside and inside of the new facility with the feedback being very positive from those that were there,” Hutchinson said in her report.

“The architects will finalize everything and then they will be sent to the state fire marshal’s office for his approval. We are very close to beginning the bidding process.”