My two favorite men
Dear Editor:
Lately I’ve been hearing the term “born and raised here” quite a lot, as if it is a requirement for leadership. I do understand the thought process of not wanting an outsider to come into our beloved community and start changing all of the things we love, so to educate anyone that might be wondering about my husband’s history, here is a little information.
Rich was born in Roosevelt, Utah, and moved to Steamboat when he was 2 years old. At 5, his stepdad moved the family to Craig where Rich grew up a little north of town on Highway 13. His stepdad worked at Peabody Coal. I met him in Denver while I was just “passing through.” When we met, he asked where I was from, I told him Meeker, he said, “Oh, I’m from ,” and my first response was “I’m sorry.” We laughed about that, knowing that no one gets to determine where they are born, they only get to choose where they stay.
My dad, Rayburn Cox, was raised in Paonia, and my mom Jeanie was raised in Gunnison. They settled in Meeker in 1981 where they raised their children and loved this community. I understand the deep pride that comes with being raised in Rio Blanco County, it must be in the water. My dad’s love for this community surpassed even his health. This elevation was hard on his body, so he would have to go to lower elevation from time to time, but his love for this place and the people here always brought him back.
Before he passed away in 2004, he started the Church at Meeker, a non-denominational Christian church where loving God and loving people were the most important things. After his death others took over his leadership in the church, in 2015 they were again looking for a pastor. Rich and I had always wanted to come back home. This is the place we loved.
This is the place where it all started for us; we were married 30 years ago in Faith Baptist Church on the corner of 11th and Garfield, back when it was still painted white boards. This was home.
In January of 2016 we had the opportunity to return home. Rich took the pastoral role at The Church at Meeker, where he has been able to continue in this Legacy of Love. He didn’t just step into a pulpit; he stepped into a responsibility to the people my father loved so much. He didn’t just “move here,” he has faithfully loved and served this community for the last decade.
I have had the honor of standing beside him for the last 30 years as we forged a life from scratch. He wasn’t privileged to receive a family business; he had to make his own.
Learning along the way, successfully building businesses, a life, a family, doing hard things simply because they were the right thing to do. I have seen his leadership qualities, and he does not possess those qualities because of where he came from, but because of what he’s come through. My two favorite men have more in common than just their good looks. They both know how to love and serve this community, not because they were born and raised here, but because they chose here.
In loving memory of Rayburn Cox,
Beth Ford
Meeker
Gutierrez announces candidacy for hospital board
Dear Editor:
The Herald Times has also asked me a few questions and they are published in this week’s newspaper.
If anyone else has questions they would like to ask, please reach out anytime, as I’m easy to find; either at Wendll’s, home or photographing a local sporting event.
Your ballots for the May 5, 2026, Special District Election will soon be arriving in your mailboxes — your support and vote would be greatly appreciated, I thank you in advance.
Thank you to the voters of Rio Blanco County for the opportunity to earn your support and your vote for the Eastern Rio Blanco County Health Service District board, which oversees Pioneers Medical Center.
It is a pleasure to write, I was born in the “old” Pioneers Hospital and raised in Meeker, graduating from Meeker High School in 1979 and Mesa State College in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in marketing. From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s I lived in Steamboat Springs, working for a Xerox sales agent covering Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Grand and Jackson counties. I later returned to Meeker to work for the Meeker Chamber of Commerce and began writing and photographing sports for the Rio Blanco Herald Times. I joined the newspaper staff in 2000 and worked in nearly every part of the operation — reporting, photography, advertising, distribution — and twice had the privilege of serving as editor.
One of the greatest honors of my career was serving on the Board of Trustees of the Freeman Fairfield Trust. Fairfield’s vision and financial support helped build Pioneers Hospital, which opened in 1950 to serve the people of our community. In a 1950 letter about the hospital’s mission, Fairfield wrote, “It is my belief that the Pioneers Hospital should be maintained and operated so as to relieve suffering and save lives. Friendship, politics, religion, personal power and personal glory should not enter into the picture in the least.” His vision continues to inspire me.
My wife Wendy, who founded Wendll’s in 1994, and I have been married since 2005. Together we have built several small businesses, including a coffee shop, Wendll’s White River Roasters and bobbyg’s Memories, a community photo website. Between us we have three grown children and eight grandchildren.
These are exciting times for Pioneers Medical Center and for our community. For the past five years, I’ve advocated for returning our hospital district to a seven-member board — just as voters intended when our health special district was created in 2006. Since February 2025, I’ve attended every monthly Pioneers board meeting, and I’m encouraged to see the board moving back to seven members. I’m excited for the opportunity to run for a seat and help move our hospital forward, in a way which supports financial stability, accessibility, affordability and sustainable growth.
My interest in serving on the board is simple: service to our community. I truly believe in the pioneer spirit of the people who live here. This same spirit has driven my career, promoting the people, businesses and opportunities, which make our area special. Now I want to use my experience and communication skills to help our community continue to grow and thrive in these exciting times.
One key priority is keeping more of the revenue generated by our community hospital here at home. Strengthening Pioneers Medical Center as a cornerstone of our local economy will help ensure it remains one of the best medical facilities in northwest Colorado. A Pioneers Medical Center ad in the Feb. 5 issue of the Rio Blanco Herald Times highlighted the hospital’s economic impact. According to the ad, six new full-time jobs at the hospital generate 31 indirect jobs and two induced jobs — 39 total — contributing $18.9 million in direct financial support to the community.
For more than 25 years as a sports writer, community photographer, newspaper editor and for the past 17 years, a business owner, I’ve worked to promote the people and opportunities in this region. I will continue doing so regardless of the outcome of this election because I believe in this community and its future. If elected, I would also support policies that convert more than 35 current contracted positions into full-time local jobs and help fill the 40-plus openings currently listed on the Pioneers Medical Center website. According to the hospital’s economic impact data, filling those positions could create more than 480 direct and indirect jobs and generate more than $236 million in direct financial support for our community.
Thanks again to all eastern Rio Blanco County residents, your support and vote would greatly be appreciated. God bless America, Pioneers Medical Center and all of us pioneers in eastern Rio Blanco County.
Sincerely,
Bobby Gutierrez
Meeker
A shout-out to a local restaurant
Dear Editor:
Just want to shout out to Ma Famiglia’s and all its dedicated crew for a wonderful dining experience Saturday. They go all out to make sure all your needs are met. We are so fortunate to have this establishment in Meeker.
Two grateful senior citizen ladies
Meeker
Endorsement of Bolton for hospital board position
Dear Editor:
Pioneers Medical Center is the heartbeat of Meeker and the White River Valley. We’re proud of it—hunters, ranchers, oil workers, families, and our aging neighbors all depend on it. But like so many rural hospitals, PMC battles fierce headwinds: razor-thin margins from rising costs, low reimbursements, and uncompensated care (about 70% of Colorado hospitals face the same squeeze); tough recruiting for doctors and nurses in our isolated spot; long drives for specialty care, mental health gaps, and affordability worries that top our community surveys; billing frustrations and cash-flow pressures; plus looming threats from federal cuts that could hit rural districts hardest.
PMC fights back smart—investing in tech, building orthopedic programs that draw patients from afar, leaning on the Pioneers Healthcare Foundation, and posting solid net income in tough years through careful management and community support. It isn’t just surviving; it’s innovating to stay vital.
But these challenges demand more than status quo. We need board members who grasp local realities, push hard for financial stability, and champion rural-specific fixes, with an outside perspective that widens the view instead of narrowing it. Businesses (and even nations) falter when insiders always win; fresh voices keep the roots strong.
That’s why I’m supporting Shawn Bolton for the one-year vacancy. Shawn calls it straight, communicates clearly, and brings community-focused grit. He’s one of us—an outsider to the hospital’s inner circle—who’ll challenge complacency and fight for what we need.
Dr. Albert Krueger is a stellar physician—my own for years, and the one who guided me with wisdom and comfort when my parents were dying. I’d trust him with my life on medical matters. But right now, we don’t need another insider. We need perspective. We need Shawn Bolton. Vote for Shawn Bolton. Our hospital—and our community—deserves the bold voice he will bring.
Paul “Buckshot” Sheridan
Meeker
Medical providers of Meeker letter of support for board candidates
Dear Editor:
“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” — commonly attributed to Thomas Jefferson
As we approach this board election, we, the medical providers of Meeker (physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants), believe the hospital board and its members are paramount to Pioneers Medical Center’s success—and, in turn, to the strength of Meeker’s healthcare and economy.
Delivering sustained, high-quality healthcare requires a complex and evolving understanding of business operations, healthcare finance, insurance systems, provider roles, education, and organizational leadership. It demands effective communication, collaboration across departments, humility, and a commitment to continuous growth. No single individual possesses all of these attributes. Rather, success depends on a careful balance—one in which the board provides appropriate oversight while empowering administration and medical staff to function effectively. This balance requires board members who are not only qualified, but also committed to ongoing learning, thoughtful decision-making, and humble collaboration with one another, administration, and the medical staff.
As the medical providers of the Meeker community, we collectively bring decades of experience to this perspective as providers who also serve as leaders in administrator roles. Many of us are also business owners, and all of us are deeply invested in this community. Based on this collective experience, we believe we can offer a meaningful perspective on the qualifications necessary for effective board service.
Recognizing that a position on the hospital board is one of the most complex and consequential roles in our community, we took the time to interview each candidate running for the two open positions. Following these conversations and careful consideration, we are offering our support for select candidates, along with our reasoning.
Board service is demanding, often thankless, and requires a willingness to serve under public scrutiny. It requires courage to be a candidate, and we sincerely appreciate every candidate who has stepped forward. Their willingness to engage in this process reflects a shared commitment to our hospital and our community. This is not a popularity contest. It is our objective assessment of which candidates are best equipped to contribute to the effective governance and long-term success of Pioneers Medical Center.
For the three year position, we support Danette Coulter. She has deep knowledge rooted in decades of experience in healthcare finances. She has already proven herself as part of the Pioneers team. As the previous head of our financial department, she played an integral role getting us to our current position as one of the top critical access hospitals in the country with premiere services and financial stability demonstrated by more than 120 days cash on hand. Additionally, she is running with a clear vision and strategy to help us keep growing. And even with all her experience, she already demonstrates the requisite humility in plans to continue her healthcare financial education. For these reasons, we unequivocally support Danette Coulter for this position.
For the one year position, we support Dr. Albert Krueger. He also has decades of experience, not just in healthcare, but specifically as part of the Pioneers team. He has an impeccable record in delivering high quality, relationship based care. He has invaluable experience working with hospital administration, and he has successfully served in multiple roles of leadership within healthcare, including as chief of staff. It is for these reasons that we believe his leadership will continue moving us forward, and that he has garnered our full support.
We sincerely hope the reader will carefully consider our recommendations and will not approach this vote in terms of popularity, but rather by who is most qualified. Please understand that our collective opinion is not a reflection of personal feelings, but rather an objective assessment of who we believe are the most qualified candidates. Ultimately, we are grateful for all of the candidates who are running.
Medical providers of Meeker