Star Valley Medical Center asks Afton to consider selling two lots for employee/patient housing and rezoning to R‑3

Representatives of Star Valley Medical Center presented the council with a request that the town consider selling two lots at the end of Doyle Child Circle so the hospital can build housing for traveling nurses and short‑term patient or employee housing.

Mike Hunsaker of Star Valley Medical Center described staffing pressures, noting that "hospitals are currently facing nursing shortages" and that the hospital employs traveling nurses and must provide housing while they are on short assignments. Hunsaker asked that if the town decides to sell the two lots (discussed as a possible sale), the lots be rezoned to R‑3 (mixed residential use) to permit the proposed development. The council did not take action on a sale or rezoning at the May 10 meeting and said it would consider the proposal as part of future land‑use and budget discussions.

The hospital representative thanked the town for its prior cooperation on a grant related to the Hospital Lane project and for the town’s assistance with grant applications. Council members asked about zoning and next steps; no formal motion to sell or to rezone was recorded in the transcript.