EMS directors seek more county funding for staff

Jackson County EMS directors are seeking an increase in county funding in order to fully staff two ambulances here in Jackson County.

During a recent Jackson County Commission meeting, the commissioners met with Brent Teter and Jay Watkins of Jackson County Emergency Medical Services to discuss the company’s 2017 contract. 

For 2016, the county budgeted $252,000 to Jackson County EMS, which was a $65,000 increase from the previous year. 

While they said they appreciate the increase, Teter and Watkins said the business is still unable to staff two ambulances with full-time employees. 

The men are also interested in increasing the length of the contract between Jackson County EMS and the county in order to be in a better financial position when applying for loans for vehicles and equipment.

Teter and Watkins presented two new budget options to the commissioners to better staff the ambulances. 

Option one includes fully staffing two ambulances with paid personnel 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This option would include increasing its budget from the county by an additional $282,500 for a total of $535,500 annually, which is more than double last year’s total.

The second option includes fully staffing one ambulance and staffing a second ambulance with paid personnel for 12 hours out of each day and 12 hours on call each day. This option includes $133,250 in additional funding for a total annual county contract of $385,250. 

The men said the first option is the best due to the shortage in volunteers, which is the biggest concern for them. They also said option two would be a good interim option until more county funds were available. 

No action was taken on the request. 

Also during their meeting, commissioners learned that Ian McAsey of Holton High School was selected as one of seven finalists in Brown, Jackson, and Nemaha counties in the 2016 Washburn University “Be Ready” Entrepreneurship Challenge. During the meeting, McAsey was awarded $500 from the county to grow his taxidermy business for the competition. 

McAsey told county commissioners he plans to use the funds to purchase different supplies and materials for his business and to market his services. McAsey recently completed his junior year at Holton High School. He is the son of Roger and Jackie McAsey.

Through his business, McAsey & Co., McAsey skins animals, tans hides, cleans animal skulls and mounts different animals for customers.  

Throughout the summer, McAsey will implement new business ideas for his company and track his results for the competition. 

All the finalists will showcase their projects and present their results at Washburn University this fall. Academic scholarships will be awarded to all finalists and the top entrepreneur or team will receive a $2,500 academic scholarship, according to Washburn.  

In other business, according to the approved minutes, the commission:

• Met with Holton City Commissioner Dan Brenner to discuss drafting a letter to the Kansas Department of Transportation about reducing the speed limit north of the city on U.S. 75 on Holton from 65 miles an hour to 45 miles an hour from approximately Ninth Street and Arizona Avenue to the industrial park at mile marker 189 to 190. 

The commissioners approved a motion to join the petition with the city and Holton Community Hospital to reduce the speed limit north of Holton.

• Accepted a fuel bid of $14,407.60 submitted by Haag Oil Company. It was the only bid submitted. 

• Learned from Eric Fritz and Earl Bahret, road and bridge department co-supervisors, that items from the former road and bridge shop are being moved to the new building north of town. 

• Met in executive session with Bahret and Fritz for five minutes to discuss a personnel matter. No action was taken back in open session. 

• Met with Jackson County Conservation District board members William Conley, Dennis Smith, Henry Hill and Jarrod Bowser and director Roberta Spencer to discuss the 2017 budget.

Spencer said the conservation district has three budget accounts, operations, enterprise and a grant. Money from the county is allocated to the operations account. 

The state of Kansas allocated $21,975 to the district last year, but it is unknown what will be available next year. For 2017, the district is requesting $62,000 from the county, which is a $446 increase. No action was taken on the request.

• Met in executive session with Amanda Spalding, senior services director, for 15 minutes to discuss a personnel matter. No action was taken back in open session. 

• Learned from Custodian Chad Phillips that there are issues with the sewage line on the second floor of the Courthouse and he believes there is a restriction in the line. Phillips also stated that the sink on the third floor doesn’t drain. 

• Received three proposals for audio-visual projectors for the new community room. Mission Electronics of Overland Park bid $6,554 (the bid did not include sound panels), Redi Systems of Manhattan bid $11,970.76 (which includes sound panels) and Kansas Audio Video of Topeka bid $5,239 (which includes sound panels). No action was taken on the bids.

• Heard a weekly report from John Kennedy, Banner Creek Reservoir director. Revenues for the week of May 8-14 were $2,669.99.

Kennedy reported that he would like to burn the cedar trees at campground “C” that were cut down and placed into piles earlier this year. Attempts to have a tub grinder available at the reservoir to grind the trees into mulch have not been successful. 

• Met in executive session for 20 minutes to discuss a personnel matter with Deputy Clerk Sally Alley. No action was taken back in open session.

• Learned from Pat Korte, director of emergency management, that there are two open positions on the Whiting Fire Board. Board members have suggested John Roles, Brian Bain and/or Stephen Banaka to fill the positions. Commissioners tabled the issue. 

• Left their chamber for 15 minutes to view the recently purchased furniture from the statehouse auction, as well as review audio-visual equipment proposals for the conference room on the first floor of the Courthouse. 

• Met in executive session with Fritz for 15 minutes to discuss a personnel matter. No action was taken back in open session.  

• Reviewed bill and payroll registers.

• Signed payroll change notices for Kelli Thompson (summer help at Banner Creek Reservoir), Sandra Campbell (new hire at dispatch), Mary Burns (from full-time employment to part time), Daniel Ballenger (promotion at the jail), William Miller (promotion at the jail), Anthony Cooper (new hire at the jail) and Gina Durkes (new hire at youth services).

• Adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m. Commissioner Rob Ladner was ill and did not attend the meeting.