Its not every day you get to spend $750,000, Allen County Commissioner Jerry Daniels quipped as the commissioners adjourned Tuesday morning.
It was $744,353.50, to be exact. Commissioners bit the bullet and finally approved Koehn Construction, of Fredonia, to build two ambulance stations one in Humboldt and one in Moran for $698,000. They also approved the purchase of two rescue boats and a double-stack trailer for $46,353.50.
Last week, commissioner Bill King said that he was not ready to award the bid on the stations.
Turns out he was listening to rumblings about Kansas City-based Saint Lukes Health System possibly entertaining the notion of bidding on the countys ambulance service, which currently is under the umbrella of the Iola Fire Department.
No official word has been received from Saint Lukes expressing interest in the countys ambulances, but King said the rumors made the situation a little cloudy.
Daniels interrupted King to say, I just want to clear that up. The Saint Lukes issue is the hospital. Even if Saint Lukes decides to bid on the ambulance contract next year, and I hope they do, it is a separate issue. We are still going to have those commitments to Humboldt and Moran, Daniels said.
King agreed, adding, We made a commitment to them a long time ago. We found the land and made the commitment way back in the day and I dont know how we could not honor that.
Humboldt City Administrator Cole Herder spoke about the importance of the ambulance station in his city.
The residents expect to have the location. I can tell you the difference in service times when an ambulance comes from Iola versus one coming from Humboldt. I realize they cannot always be in town, but its a difference between life and death, Herder said.
After a little more discussion, commissioner Bruce Symes made the motion to approve the ambulance stations, which passed with a 3-0 vote.
Commissioners then awarded a bid to Tactical Rescue out of Arkansas to purchase a 16-foot rescue boat with a 50 horsepower motor, plus a 14-foot inflatable raft with a 30 horsepower motor. The deal also includes a double-stack trailer along with a light package and additional accessories. The package cost $44,747 with an additional $1,607.50 delivery fee. Officials with Tactical Rescue will train emergency service workers how to use their new equipment at the time of delivery.
SYMES TOOK a moment to speak on a developing situation between the City of Iola and Allen County Regional Hospital. At Mondays city council meeting, they discussed pulling an annual payment of $300,000, which is gained through sales tax, and relocating the money to fund other improvements.
I just want to say publicly as an Iola resident and Iola as my district, I understand the double tax thing. Iola residents have their sales tax go to the hospital and then they have their share of the county sales tax go to the hospital. But Iola benefits more than any other community in the county from the hospital, Symes said. I think more people that work at the hospital, live in Iola than from other communities in the county. And the workers spend their money in Iola. If someone lives in Humboldt or Garnett that works at the hospital, they are going to get gas in Iola on their way home, rather than waiting. I think there is a good argument to be made for Iola to continue to support the hospital, at least at some level.
Symes said that they should ask the city to continue to help, with at least a portion of its sales tax.
