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County EMS could have way to bring in extra income |
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Thursday, March 06 2008 |
By TJ HEMLINGER
Staff writer
The Whitley County commissioners learned of a possible income-producing arrangement using the county’s back-up EMS ambulance to transport patients from Fort Wayne to other facilities or their homes.
Duane Ginder, the EMS director, said that since Parkview Hospital is working on consolidating its facilities on the north side of Fort Wayne it needs to move patients.
“If we can take someone over and bring someone back, we can double our revenue,” he told the commissioners.
Commissioner Tom Rethlake said, “The quality of service to the people in the community has to remain as high as it is now. But I compliment you on trying to make some money.”
Ginder said, “I believe there’s significant revenue over there.”
The duties would be rotated among four counties: Whitley, Huntington, Noble and LaGrange. Each would take its turn.
Ginder estimated that the county could earn up to $9,000 a month in transport fees.
“I look at it as one trip to Indianapolis per week would pay for the cost of the whole week,” he said.
The commissioners learned that veterans in Whitley County now will only have to pay $20 for a round-trip to the VA in Fort Wayne instead of the $40 in the past.
In other business Monday, the commissioners reported that letters had been sent to the governor and local legislators concerning the state-mandated changes in the Family and Child Services south annex at 115 S. Line St. The state, seeking to make all centers in every county look alike, ordered changes that may wind up costing the county up to $90,000.
“It’s a total injustice (to use) taxpayers’ money when the facility was remodeled to state standards (in 1992),” commissioner Jim Pettigrew said.
The cost would be about $43 a square foot.
“We’re waiting to hear back from the state,” commissioner Tom Rethlake said. “We have asked to opt out of what they’re requesting.”
The state would give the county a blueprint it would be expected to follow.
Commissioner Mike Schrader has written to Gov. Mitch Daniels, state Sen. Gary Dillon and state Reps. Dan Leonard and Matt Bell.
The commissioners received some good news from Stu Shipman of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The DNR is giving the county two plots of land with six buildings on them around Tri Lakes. The DNR also said it would be willing to demolish the buildings if the county wishes.
One plot consists is near the Tri Lakes fish hatchery, and the other is 7.23 acres on Round Lake that formerly was the Fort Wayne State School retreat.
“Our concerns have been vandalism, and the road is in bad repair,” Shipman said.
The commissioners supported the effort and instructed county attorney Dan Sigler to write a letter indicating that to the DNR.
Doug Jones of the county probation department reported that Correction Management in Muncie would take Whitley County juveniles that need incarceration and house them for $161 a day. The county has been using the secure facility for 10 years. Correction Management also transports the juveniles, picking them up and bringing them back for court dates.
“It saves the sheriff quite a bit of time (transporting),” Schrader, a former sheriff, said.
Jones said, “These are kids we feel would be a risk to the community or others. They face criminal offenses rather than status offenders such as runaways.”
The department requires a minimum payment of $40 per day from a juvenile’s parents.
The state opened bids on repaving Lincolnway West from country Road 350W to state Route 5. The lowest bid was $360,825 by Niblock. That may exceed the amount of money the county had budgeted for the project, but the cost of oil has forced prices up.
County assessor Angela Adams received permission to contract with William Schultz to work with her on assessing county properties at annual fees of $12,500 for new construction and $25,000 for trending.
A representative of the county’s insurance company, Chad L. Burch of Phillips Financial, told the commissioners that claims are within the normal parameters.
“The average paid claim is going down, but the number of claims is up,” he said.
Claims increased from 3,000 to 3,600.
FEMA will have its mobile disaster registration unit at the Eagle Quest Church on state Route 109 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today through Saturday to help people who suffered from flooding. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, March 06 2008 )
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