A plan for merger of Allen County and Iola and ambulance services will be made public April 29 at a sub-committee meeting of the three county commissioners and two representatives of the Iola council. BILL KING, director of Public Works, said Sunday’s intense thunderstorm, which included hail and some in the Humboldt area large enough to cause damage, resulted in wash-outs of county roads where they cross streams.
Agreement was reached by county Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Iola fire/EMS at a two-hour meeting Tuesday morning.
Eric Sanders, a county EMS supervisor, told commissioners the plan wouldn’t be divulged immediately.
“We are pretty enthusiastic” about the plan hashed out Tuesday morning and in previous meetings of the two groups, in answer to a question from Commissioner Tom Williams. “We think we can make it work.”
In a hint of what may come, Sanders added the plan was “absolutely best for fire and EMS without increasing the budget.”
This year the county’s budgeted expenses to provide ambulance service to all of the county outside of Iola has been put at $1.3 million, while the city anticipates spending a little over $1 million for fire protection and ambulance service within the city.
“Our goal has been to have a quality service and save money,” said Williams.
Mike Burnett, county ambulance director, told commissioners a day to acquaint Allen Countians with a broad swatch of emergency medical services available in the county would be May 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. on the parking lot near the county’s ambulance station in the 400 block of North State Street.
Hail came in quantities large enough to stop up some drainage pipes under roads, which backed water into fields and caused debris to snag on fences.
Commissioners approved use of the bandstand the evening of May 14 for an Iola Middle School band and choir concert. On July 9 the bandstand will be used to support a Bowlus Fine Arts Center summer program.
Merger inches a little closer
