At the Preston City Council’s June 7 meeting, ambulance director Ryan Throckmorton and City Administrator Joe Hoffman detailed the growing challenges the ambulance service faces to provide 24/7 service with a volunteer staff. It was decided after much discussion to pursue a process to create a full time EMS support position.
Throckmorton made it clear that the EMS structure that is currently in place is not sustainable. It requires 18,000 to 20,000 volunteer hours to provide 24/7 coverage 365 days per year. This EMS structure will collapse; being staffed with volunteers is causing EMS services to struggle everywhere. The pandemic has increased volunteer staffing issues. The Preston EMS service is 52 years old.
There are seven ambulance services in Fillmore County. Wykoff’s ambulance service went to a first responder service, giving up their ambulance license in 2003. The state split up their area among surrounding ambulance services.
Throckmorton and Hoffman said this has been discussed at length for some time. They suggested creating a full time position with full benefits; the hours will include weekend and weekday hours. Duties could include some operations and office tasks and city tasks as assigned. The person hired to this position would also get the volunteer rate for hours covered outside of scheduled hours. Hoffman noted other cities already have combined an employee position of EMS and city time. He stated that this is the best solution we have.
It would cost about $27,000 for salary and benefits for the rest of 2021. Hoffman said they can fund the position for 2021, but will have to discuss how to fund it in 2022. They will discuss it with townships served by the Preston ambulance to see if they are willing to increase the per capita rate. Hoffman noted a $10,000 levy increase is an increase of 1% for Preston. This position with benefits would cost about $60,000. He added we still have to continue to put money aside to fund the next ambulance replacement in the rotation plan.
Throckmorton said call volume in Fillmore County is enough to support two ambulance services. He estimated that once the veterans home is open, the call volume for the Preston service will increase by roughly 75 calls per year.
The cost per year to maintain a full time crew per truck is estimated to be about $450,000.
The council voted unanimously to authorize Throckmorton and Hoffman to move forward with the process to create a job description and to advertise to fill the position. The EMT position would include 24 weekend shifts per pay period and weekday hours to fulfill 80 hours bi-weekly.
Other business in brief
•Traci Corson asked to be allowed to place a pop/water machine in the breezeway between the bathrooms and the Trailhead Inn. There is to be no cost to the city. The machine will be plugged into a receptacle for the Trailhead Inn. Hoffman said he assumes the breezeway is city property. The request to place the machine in the breezeway was approved as recommended by city staff.
•The first payment to Alcon Construction in the amount of $265,505.97 for the street project was approved.
•An easement requested by Kurt Reicks for the installation of private water/sewer lines to his building by the golf course was approved. He plans to connect to the lines at the intersection of Windmill Rd. and Overlook Dr. He will need to cross about 25 feet of city property. There is no city investment; the cost will all be covered by Reicks. Acting Mayor Charles Sparks conducted the meeting for the approval of the easement request.
•City Attorney Dwight Luhmann explained the demand for police security services for private events (weddings, receptions, concerts… ). Chief Blaise Sass and Luhmann have worked together to draft a Contractual Police Service Policy. Services will be billed at $55 per hour per officer. Private businesses will be asked to contract with the city. The policy was approved as presented.
•The city’s cable TV message channel was discussed. It was decided to continue with the service as long as it can be broadcast from city hall with the current equipment. If they would be required to purchase new equipment, they would reevaluate at that time.
•Approval was given to allow the Historical Society to install an electric service in the Historic Elevator for lighting. Morem Electric will complete the work and the cost will be paid for by the Historical Society.
•The next city council meeting will be held on June 21. The first meeting in July will be held Tuesday, July 6.
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