The Manawa Ambulance will be sharing administrative services with Clintonville.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was approved by the Manawa Ambulance Board at its May 20 meeting.
The one-year agreement was approved by the Clintonville Area Ambulance Commission on April 28. It includes the option of an additional year.
The primary contact for administrative tasks for the Manawa Ambulance Service will be Andrew Werth, current operations manager for the Clintonville Area Ambulance Service.
The MOU agreement will not alter the current structure and operations of either entity.
As ambulance director, Werth will provide overall supervision for Manawa to include staff, scheduling and daily operations. He may provide occasional assistance with schedule coverage while in Manawa.
Werth will handle any discipline situations in a combined effort with the Manawa Ambulance Board.
The MOU (retroactive to May 1) includes reimbursing Werth one-half of his CAAS monthly gross salary of $1,538, plus medical benefits of $117. His time allotment for Manawa will average 20 hours per week.
Manawa board members asked if Clintonville will always be called to provide mutual aid when needed.
“Mutual aid will be based on closest service, based on what is in the best interest of the patient,” Werth said. “It will not automatically be Clintonville.”
According to Werth, the updated 2014 ambulance budget will be presented at the board’s June meeting.
“I am hoping to be under budget,” he said. “My main goal is to be in at least at zero.”
The board agreed to change the ambulance service provider to Maple Breeze, which is the provider used by Clintonville.
Werth reported there were 23 ambulance runs since the last board meeting. There were 20 total runs during April and 17 runs to-date in May.
Manawa Ambulance did not receive state funding for last year, according to Werth. He explained there was no way to prove the money was spent on EMT training, which is a requirement for the state funding.
Werth assured the board that this would not happen again.
“We are moving forward and … doing a better job of record keeping,” he said.
Fire department
The Manawa Fire Board was informed by Fire Chief Rob Rosenau that the old rescue truck has been sold for $80,000.
“This will get us close to $100,000 between both of the (used) trucks,” Rosenau said. “That was the goal.”
Three quotes for financing the new truck were presented to the fire board. No decision was made because the first payment will not be due until next spring.
Rosenau estimated that the new fire truck will be in service for at least 25 years.
“Our goal is to replace trucks within that time period,” he said. “We will purchase the next truck after this one is paid off; about every six years.”