Ambulance District Sets Tax Rate
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From staff reports
During their Aug. 21 meeting the Ste. Genevieve Ambulance District Board held its annual tax hearing. The board opted to approve another voluntary rollback to .0525, rather than the allowable .9542 rate.
During the actual meeting, executive director Kendall Shrum reported that he is looking at possibly purchasing Elk Lifts, which is an airbag lift system to assist the staff with fall patients. It helps lift the patient to a standing position. It will decrease both patient and staff injuries.
E also reported that the district is fully staffed again, although one maternity leave is coming up in the spring. He said additional part-time PRN employees are still being sought.
Right now, the district has only have four applications and they are all EMTs. The enrollment in EMT and paramedic classes are down. Shrum hopes they can recruit from the next classes coming up in a few months.
The topic of a new House 3 near Weingarten, was also discussed. Don Kuehn had a preliminary house plan with a preliminary amount of $793,490 for the construction of the new House 3 building. A metal frame versus a wood structure is very close to the same price. The house will be a two-bedroom, two-bath with living room, kitchen, safe room and four bays at a total of 40 x 94 in dimensions.
A helipad as well as concrete work is included in this bid price. They will need to meet and work on more firm plans of the layout, style and design.
Preliminary financing could include a bank doing a build to lease option. Monthly payments on $800,000 for 20 years would be $5278. $500,000 financed over 20 years would be $3,297 monthly.
The 911 funding agreement was also discussed.
The district’s attorney has reviewed and approved the 911 board agreement with no issues. The 911 board was developed for the 911 billing services and management of the 911 tax. Nathan Wolk is the district’s representative on that board. Dale Whitener is the representative for the fire departments. There will be an election in April for this board to see if the current members will be retained or if other community members will run and get the spots.
The contract agreement allows a six-month opt-out window. The dispatching fees may be eliminated after three years. The proposed agreement expires in 2025.
The board voted to accept the agreement.
Shrum reported that the district had 204 calls for July, 160 of them emergencies. That is down from 255 total calls and 202 emergencies in July 2022 and the 229 total calls in 2021. However, the 160 emergency calls are just up from 15 in 2021.
Transfers were also down, with 328, compared to 45 a year ago and 61 two years ago.
Of those, 16 were from House 1 on Basler Drive, eight from House 2 in Bloomsdale and 14 from House 3.