At the city council’s September 22 meeting, Preston ambulance director Ryan Throckmorton explained that the Lanesboro Ambulance Service was no longer able to provide 24/7 coverage.
He described two options that Lanesboro had considered: forfeiting the license and becoming a first responder group, in which case the state would review the area and divide it among other services or the transfer of the Lanesboro license to the city of Preston. The latter seemed to be the best solution. Equipment and volunteers in Lanesboro will be retained. This option will allow for sustainable service in both communities.
Last week the Lanesboro City Council held a special meeting and unanimously voted to transfer their licensed area to the city of Preston.
Throckmorton said he will work to maintain a schedule in both communities and maintain the ambulance service in Lanesboro. City Administrator Joe Hoffman added that Lanesboro will no longer have 24-hour coverage. Preston will cover the odd hours that Lanesboro can’t cover. Preston will operate a substation in Lanesboro and staff it with EMTs from Lanesboro. Throckmorton said Lanesboro’s call volume is about one third of Preston’s.
The transfer process should be complete in about a month. Throckmorton admitted one of the biggest challenges will be to build the capital reserve; the Lanesboro ambulance truck is eight years old.
The Preston City Council voted unanimously to accept the transfer of the license from Lanesboro to the Preston ambulance service.
2022 Levy
The 2022 preliminary levy was approved. The preliminary levy is $1,080,696, or a 4.47% increase. It was noted that the preliminary budget includes about $3,000 more for health insurance than the final number required and $13,851 for the National Trout Center (NTC). Hoffman explained these amounts could be redirected or cut out of the final levy. There will also likely be savings in the 2014 Street and Utility and Industrial Park projects refunded bond payment. The final budget and levy will need to be approved late in December.
Bond refinance
The city council had directed Mike Bubany, David Drown Associates, to pursue a bank placement to refinance the 2014 bonds. This method would require less upfront refinancing costs. F & M Community Bank has agreed to the bank placement of the city’s 2014 bond refunding. The rate of interest will be 1.15% on the non-callable bond. The bond issue refunding note to the bank in the amount of $2,285,000 will be issued on November 3, 2021. Bubany said this is a very fair deal with a local bank. The lower interest rate with the refinancing of the 2014 bond will result in a present value savings of about $197,000. The refunded bond is to be paid off in 2030. A resolution to refinance the 2014 bonds as presented was unanimously approved.
Other business in brief
• Sheila Craig updated the council on the activities of the Preston Historical Society. The eighth annual tractor ride was held this last weekend. About $3,000 was raised from the annual raffle. Electricity has been installed in the elevator. There have been several tours of the elevator and caboose. A $10,000 grant has been received from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. Over 1,200 photos and artifacts related to the Preston area have been collected. New t-shirts depicting Preston history are on sale. The council approved the annual funding in the amount of $3,000 for the Historical Society.
• Council member Robert Maust asked about the fund balance held by the NTC. The board is to meet this next week. A motion was approved to request the fund balance from the NTC if they are ending their venture.
• Approval was given, as recommended by staff, for a driveway as requested by Christina and Jason Bothun off of North St.
• Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services had leased a room in city hall on Fridays for behind the wheel and written examinations until the pandemic stopped the practice. A lease agreement pending the final review by the city attorney was approved to allow these services to again be provided in Preston.
• The next meeting of the city council will be held on Monday, October 4.
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