Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
Pocahontas County Commission President John Rebinski and Ambulance Director Chris Lusk gave an updated report at the February 3 commission meeting on county ambulance coverage.
They explained the ambulance service currently has eight part-time EMTs; two part-time paramedics; one full-time EMT; two full-time paramedics, and three full-time drivers, which costs an estimated $425,400 in annual salaries. Currently the county ambulance covers northern Pocahontas County seven days a week; and four nights a week in the southern end. Volunteer ambulances and the Pocahontas Memorial Hospital ambulance, when available, respond at other times.
Rebinski said the goal is to increase the coverage in the southern part of the county from four nights per week to seven nights a week. But to be able to afford this expansion, Rebinski proposed salary costs be included the county’s regular budget as a line item and all other maintenance, operating and equipment expenses be paid for by EMS Ambulance Fund revenues. Currently the salaries are initially paid out of the county budget, but the EMS Ambulance Fund reimburses the annual salary costs to the county at the end of each fiscal year in June.
Lusk said they have not been able to figure out the exact estimate of annual costs and revenues because there is up to a three-month delay to receive payments from patients or their insurance company. Commissioners Thane Rider and Jamie Walker want to receive exact numbers on the costs of both the salaries and the operating expenses as well as the revenues before making a decision.
In other business, the commission:
• voted to hire Travis Cook as a part-time EMT for the ambulance service at $15 per hour to work in the southern end of the county.
• agreed to provide the $189,000 of American Rescue Plan money to the Northern Pocahontas Historical Society Association for the museum to be established in Durbin. About $151,502 of that will be needed by the closing sale date to pay for the building they are purchasing, and the remainder will be available to the historical society for repairs, renovations and other start-up costs. The commission requires guarantees be placed on the deed to stipulate that the commission will be reimbursed its money if the historical society ever sells the building.
• voted to pay Resolution #1 for the PMH Wastewater Treatment Plant Project in the amount of $85,000 for engineering services. Casandra Lawson of Region 4 said they need to quickly cut the trees on the property because Fish and Wildlife has advised them that there is a rare bat on the property that will be harmed if the trees are removed after February 28. They agreed to have this done before the end of the month.
• held a very long discussion about compensation for essential employees who have to work when the courthouse is closed for inclement weather. Rebinski proposed they should be paid time-and-a-half for working those days, like they have already agreed to do with 911 dispatchers. However, the commissioners could not agree on how to do it, so no action was taken.
• agreed to pay ARC Broadband Grant Draw Request #24 in the amount of $4,000 engineering invoice. Region 4’s Casandra Lawson and Project Attorney Josh Jarrell explained that they needed to pay change order in the amount of $62,850 to enable their contractor – Quanta – to make the Mon-Power poles ready to receive fiber. They have already paid Mon-Power for that to be done, but it was never done and this is necessary to move the project forward. They are still negotiating with Mon-Power to be refunded, but the county cannot afford to wait for that to happen. This money will be taken out of the state’s Contingency Fund. This will leave just $80,000 in that fund. Lawson said that is a smaller amount than they typically would like to see left in the fund. They voted to use the $62,850 to make the poles ready and move the project forward.
• contributed $2,500 to the Northern Pocahontas County Community Assistance Inc., a non-profit that helps needy seniors and veterans in the county.
• awarded the bid from Mitchell Chevrolet in the amount of $40,400, for the purchase of a 2026 Chevy Tahoe for Day Report to use.
• at the request of Scott Wheeler, the commission agreed to provide a letter of support for the 70th anniversary celebration of the 70th anniversary of the initial airing of the Lawrence Welk Show on July 1, 1955.
• agreed to authorize payment of Resolution # 17 from the EPA Tannery Project in the amount of $21,372.98 for sediment and surface water sampling.
• agreed to have roof repairs made to the courthouse roof, which will have to be done before the roof is replaced.
• adopted the County Clerk’s Emergency Absentee Voting Policy for the May 12 Primary Election, which will enable them to go to the hospital and the nursing home to collect votes from patients who are confined and cannot get to the polls.
• voted to allow Animal Control to destroy old records dated before 2021.
