City awaits word from county on EMS shortfall

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July 15, 2014 - 12:00 AM

Iola City Council members continue to grapple with ways to make up a projected $377,000 budget shortfall for its countywide ambulance service.
They agreed Monday — after a frequently spirited debate — to await word on whether Allen County commissioners will help make up the shortfall.
The city has requested the county chip in $189,000 — half the projected shortfall.
Until the county decides whether to turn over any of the $446,500 it holds in ambulance reserves, council members weren’t sure how much it would need to generate before the end of the year.
As part of its five-year contract with the county, Iola personnel operate ambulance services for the entire county with stations in Iola, Moran and Humboldt. In exchange, the county agreed to hand over revenues generated from its service to the city, up to $750,000 annually.
“Unfortunately, we signed a bad contract,” Councilman Jon Wells said. “We’ve got to eat a little crow.”
At their weekly meeting July 8, county commissioners indicated they might kick over some funding, with the provision the city reimburse the county if Iola later abandons the service or otherwise defaults on the contract.
The county’s response “doesn’t sit too well with me,” City Administrator Carl Slaugh said. “It’s like we’re expected to pay for the privilege of offering this service, and that’s not really what we’re trying to do.”
Council members Don Becker and Bob Shaughnessy agreed.
A countywide service shouldn’t be unfairly subsidized by Iola’s taxpayers, Slaugh said, urging the city to reiterate to the county how much is being saved through a consolidated service.
“My problem is we’re operating a good, countywide service,” Shaughnessy added. “It’s not just an Iola service; it’s a county service.”
Mayor Joel Wicoff recommended the council wait two more weeks to determine what measures the city must take to make up the shortfall.
“Let’s see what they say,” Wicoff said. “Two weeks isn’t going to make a big difference for us.”
Overtime pay remains an issue, Iola Fire Chief Tim Thyer told council members, because of a staffing shortage.
The program is most efficient with 31 employees, Thyer said, while only 27 are currently on staff. The city hopes to fill two vacancies, while two other employees are on sick leave.
Once the city knows how much needs to be generated, Slaugh has several options on the table, including:
— Raising utility rates, although such a measure would not accurately reflect the increase is due to EMS operations.
— Add an EMS charge to utility bills, similar to a storm sewer charge.
— Increase sales taxes by 1/2 percent, which would generate about $600,000 annually, of which $300,000 would go to new schools, if approved by voters in November.
— Increase property taxes.
Slaugh noted some of the options are problematic because they would only help with future years’ budgets and do little to address the existing shortfall.
Regardless, Wells said the time is rapidly approaching that the city should provide “real world solutions.”

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