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November 2008 |
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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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 |  |  |  |  | | My Mom (Elly Crawford) would always make this Cranberry
Salad, to die for. The year she passed away I had tried my mother-in-laws and others
but never the same as my Mom's. A year had went by and I had Looked and Looked for
her recipe in her old fashion Tin recipe box. Could not find it. I thought, wow was
this like her Famous Potato Salad, In her head and never wrote down. Silly I know
But as I searched thru her tin recipe box again, I made sure I put each hand wrote
card back where she had kept it. I wanted to make sure it was Just like my mom had
always had it and left it. I kept look one at a time, And low and behold stuck
between two cards was the recipe, I sat and held it as the tears ran down my face. I
had found it and was finally going to have Mom's Cranberry Salad. I called My Dad,
Cecil and said over 20 times, " Dad I found it Dad I found it!" I then prayed and
ask Mom, OK come on help me make this just like you did. And I guess Mom heard
me cause the 2nd and 3rd Thanksgiving without my Mom I had "Mom's Cranberry
Salad" and I will again this year and years to come. Thanks Mom I love you- Sheryl
xoxo P.S. You ask? Well share this recipe.... Umm, I
think NOT, Took me to long to find it. - Sheryl Hackett (Churubusco, IN) My late grandmother, Margarette Ruthsatz always made
scalloped oysters for the holidays. The recipe would be similar to scalloped corn
but instead of corn,oysters.We always hoped for left-overs and often would sneak it
cold from the fridge! Someone brings this dish every year. - Pam Sorg (Columbia City, IN) I love Thanksgiving. All my family get together at my mom and
dad's. My daughters and I usually go early to help Mom get the dinner ready, but she
does most of it. We eat about one and are all stuffed. After clean up we wait for
the paper so my sister and I can scope out all the sales for the next day which we
call Jackie and Laura's Big Adventure. It is the one day that we just spend time
together and are amused with all the shoppers going crazy for that perfect Christmas
gift. - Jackie White (Columbia City, IN) My mother-in-law, the late Mildred Weeks, gave me this recipe
and it is the only salad I fix for Thanksgiving and I am willing to share.
CRANBERRY SALAD1 lb package cranberry's (I freeze them and
then grind them)2 medium size oranges1 cup sugar1 package red
jello2 red apples diced small1 cup chopped nuts1 cup celery diced
smallGrind cranberry's and oranges;add sugar (let set overnight) okay if not.
Add apples, celery, jello and nuts.
- Rowena Weeks (Ridgecrest, California)
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