Allen County commissioners remained steadfast in their demand that Iola pay rent of $250 a month to use the building on North State Street that has been the county’s ambulance station.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh told commissioners Tuesday he thought the contract that merged county and Iola ambulance services provided for the building to be transferred to city use.
Iola will assume full control of all ambulance service in the county Jan. 1.
Commission Chairman Dick Works disputed Slaugh’s claim, saying the contract didn’t provide for transfer of the building.
“We discussed it several times and it wasn’t included” in the transfer of county ambulance properties, he said.
Slaugh noted arrangements were being made to provide separate sleeping quarters for female ambulance personnel at Iola’s fire station, which would leave the city cramped for space.
His anticipation is that city council members won’t balk at taking on the rent, although some aren’t happy with having to do so when the ambulance service benefits all of the county.
COMMISSIONERS selected a bid of $96,975 from O’Malley Equipment, Iola, for a John Deere tractor and 22-inch boom mower, which was $20,800 and $16,800 higher than two other bids. Commissioners justified their decision by O’Malley being the only local company bidding, the tractor being larger and heavier, the unit having a longer warranty period and it being immediately available.
They accepted a bid of $4,000 a month, up from $3,500, from Iola attorney Charles Apt to do guardian ad litem work, and a bid of $3,200 a month, up from $3,150, from Iola attorney Bret Heim for adult misdemeanor work.
Commissioners signed off on a $500,000 insurance policy on the old hospital and $1 million in liability, with an annual premium of $16,500. They put off a decision on what to do with surplus equipment at the hospital until spring, noting several non-profits had asked to obtain such things as tables that weren’t transferred to new Allen County Regional Hospital. No discussion occurred on what might be done with the old hospital.
They briefly mentioned that Thrive Allen County and rail trail volunteers were interested in using the old warehouse north of the critical response center, on North State, as a site for a bicycle repair shop. It also might be used as a site for a winter farmers market. County Counselor Alan Weber said the volunteers were putting together a business plan.
