County follows city lead on ambulance
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 01:40 p.m., April 3, 2008
Updated 01:41 p.m., April 3, 2008
The Emporia/Lyon County EMS will get a new ambulance following votes by both city and county commissions.
The Emporia City Commission voted Wednesday to approve the purchase of a new ambulance. County commissioners followed suit today. The way the arrangement works, the city and county split the cost of new ambulances.
The ambulance, which will be purchased out of the 2008 budget, will cost $182,725. City Manager Matt Zimmerman said in Wednesday’s Lyon County Commission meeting that the city waited to vote on the purchase until this week because they were waiting to see what would happen following the layoffs at Tyson Fresh Meats.
“We wanted to give the city and county time to evaluate the Tyson impact,” Zimmerman said. “... We know there is going to be an impact.”
The ambulance being purchased is a medium duty chassis.
“This is the standard model of ambulance being used,” Zimmerman said.
During the Wednesday’s county commission study session, Commission Chairman Scott Briggs said the commission would take direction from the city’s vote. Commission Vice Chairman Marshall Miller agreed.
“We will take care of our half if the city takes care of their half,” he said.
In other business, commissioners on Wednesday discussed changing the zoning on land being used by Lyon County Water District No. 5 near the Emporia Energy plant, Westar Energy’s new peaking power plant being constructed. The construction of a 100,000-gallon water tower and a new pumping station near the plant was completed before zoning went through, said Samuel Seeley, of Lyon County Zoning.
“Somewhere along the way, communication didn’t occur about permitting and zoning of the site,” Seeley said.
Commissioners were expected to pass the zoning during today’s action session.