So far this year, Lyon County accounts for about 17 percent of ambulance calls outside the city of Emporia. This is down from 2009’s number of 30 percent.
Lyon County commissioners heard information about ambulance calls during Wednesday’s study session from Matt Zimmerman, city manager, and Jack Taylor, fire chief.
The city is asking the county to pay a 30 percent share for a sport utility vehicle. Taylor said the SUV would be for the EMS supervisor who now drives a 1998 Dodge Ram pick-up that has well more than 100,000 miles on it. Zimmerman said the city might have found one for $10,000. Otherwise, it would be $40,000, making the county’s share $12,000.
Zimmerman also talked about the purchase of a new medium-duty ambulance. The ambulance would cost about $200,000. Taylor said the medium-duty ambulances are more reliable and dependable than light duty.
City employee Ed Rathke spoke to commissioners about the city-county phone system. The city and county share a phone system that is getting dated. Rathke said it is time to update the system. The city wants to update it to a voice over Internet protocol system. The cost of updating the system is $70,000. Zimmerman asked the county to consider putting half of that into it 2010 budget to support the upgrade 50-50.
In other business, Lyon County commissioners heard from Robert Driewer, chief executive officer of Newman Regional Health about forming a public building commission to refinance the hospital’s bonds and possibly save the hospital about $3 million in interest.
A public building commission may be created by ordinance or resolution by governing bodies and would have three to nine members. The commission has the authority to incur debt but not to levy taxes. The commission would hold the title to the hospital building and lease it to the county, which would then sub-lease it to Newman.
Trudy Hutchinson, Hetlinger Developmental Services, presented the agency’s allocation request for 2010. Because of state budget cuts, the agency asked for an increase to $20,000 for 2010 from $14,382 for 2009.
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