Sweetwater County approves HHS building reconfiguration; commissioners warned of large FY27 shortfall

The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners on April 7 voted unanimously to implement Option 2 for reconfiguring the county Health & Human Services (HHS) building, a plan county staff said balances the need for confidential public‑health services with the convenience of high‑volume county operations.

During a lengthy staff presentation, public works director Gene Ligurski and HR director Gary McClain described three layout alternatives for the HHS building after family‑planning functions vacated the site. Option 2 “aggregates the county operations in that area” by placing the treasurer and one‑day clerk services in a service‑window suite on the main floor, while locating the Board of Health offices and clinical programs nearby to preserve private exam space, Ligurski said. The proposal also shifts WIC (Women, Infants and Children) into a second‑floor suite with four offices and a breastfeeding area to limit disruption to WIC clients.

Kim Lionberger, director of the Board of Health, told commissioners she “would strongly advocate for option 2 or 3” because Option 1 would force clients receiving STI/HIV testing and counseling to move through public space and risk violating confidentiality. “Option 1 as submitted would cause significant disruption to our day‑to‑day operations in regards to providing discreet confidential services,” Lionberger said.

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