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• Health services are varied in the area. The anticipated expansion of the <br />Delta County Memozial Hospital will probably alleviate any potential short- <br />term overcrowding problem. Health services in the North Fork Valley could <br />become strained. The private clinics in Paonin and Hotchkiss may need to <br />expand to serve the forecast population. The possibility of a satellite <br />hospital in the Valley has been discussed. Freestanding emergency units for <br />stabilization are another possibility, if the current levels of services do <br />become strained. All of these options should be explored. However, the <br />likelihood for a satellite hospital is remote. The population in the area is <br />probably not sufficient to warrant two facilities in the County. In addition, <br />the economic feasibility of such an option must be questioned. The <br />distribution of health services in a rural area is always a major problem, due <br />primarily to the economics of alternatives and physician availability. <br />Expansion of clinics appears to be the moat appropriate alternative at this <br />point in time. The mental health services in the County are adequate at <br />present, but are facing future budgetary problems due to federal and state <br />• budget cuts. The communities have been recently supplying a greater share of <br />the funding for the mental health program. <br />Overall, Delta County and its towns have services in need of improvement. As <br />the Historical Economic and Demographic section indicated, the population <br />growth occurred more rapidly in the past three years. Current town and county <br />services are now in the process of "catching up" with the prior growth. The <br />use and importance of the sales tax indicates that Delta County is in some <br />measure emburaed by residents who may work in another county but shop in <br />Delta. Also, the sales tax is more sensitive to people on fixed incomes than <br />is a property tax. The ability of Delta County to respond to more growth <br />depends on whether the people move in gradually, as opposed to surges. As <br />Table II-8 indicates, a sudden increase in the population would seriously <br />strain Paonia, Crawford and Hotchkiss' ability to provide services. <br />The next section examines the impact of Western Slope Carbon on the area's <br />population and fiscal base. Western Slope's current and forecast population <br />will be discussed. <br />• <br />36 <br />