Commissioners OKed a plan to hire a new zoning administrator during Wednesday morning’s study session of the Lyon County Commission. They also heard a request for more funding for the community health center and considered using a private company to provide county ambulance service.
Steve Samuelson, zoning administrator and flood plain manager, is leaving after 19 months to work for the state of Kansas.
“This will be the sixth zoning administrator in 10 years,” said Gary Post, Lyon County appraiser, who will hire the new person.
Post provided commissioners with a copy of the job advertisement, which is listed as paying $14.64 per hour plus full benefits. The position is appointed by the county appraiser.
Lougene Marsh, executive director of Flint Hills Community Health Center, asked for a budget increase of $67,819, raising the center’s 2008 funding request to a total of $738,243.
“We are requesting that our appropriation be increased by $22,819, the amount that would support a 2 percent wage enhancement plus the employer taxes as planned for county employees,” Marsh said.
She also requested $20,000 to cover the cost of a new vehicle. She said Lyon County owns five vehicles that are assigned to the health center. Two have more than 130,000 miles and need to be replaced, Marsh said,
“The replacement vehicle would also be owned by Lyon County,” she said.
Last, Marsh asked for $25,000 for communicable disease prevention.
“The development of new vaccines and the production costs of all vaccines continue to drive the cost of vaccine acquisition,” she said.
Lyon County Commission Chairman Marshall Miller said commissioners will consider the health center’s request when it finalizes the 2008 budget in the next couple of weeks.
Later in the meeting, commissioners met with representatives of American Medical Response, which provides ambulance services in several counties in Kansas.
Representatives from AMR said the company can provide 911 service as well as non-emergency services. Every ambulance runs with a paramedic and an EMT.
Ken Keller, AMR operations manager, said AMR of Shawnee County has the lowest cost in the state.
“Yes, we make a profit,” Keller said. “But we’re able to do that at a cost that is considerably less than some of the other private services and some public services.”