Monroe County commissioners discussed the possibility of not charging a fee for “no treatment, no transport” service calls to Monroe County EMS. 

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Monroe County Board, Monroe County Ambulance Director Carla Heise reported a total of 227 such calls in 2023 with a total of $24,070 in payments.

Heise explained that “no treatment, no transport” calls generally consist of “lift assists” for elderly residents who have fallen or who need other non-medical assistance.

Currently, regardless of treatment, a response by a Monroe County EMS crew will cost at least $100.

Since the department is now in much better shape, Commissioner Vicki Koerber suggested calls for service which do not require treatment or transportation should be a free “courtesy call” for instances in which insurance does not cover the cost.  

Koerber, who had previously served as a paramedic with Monroe County EMS for 20 years, said the department then was not as financially stable as it is now.

“Years ago, when the (county ambulance service) was not self-sufficient, it was deemed at that time that if the wheels rolled, we needed (payment),” Koerber said. “But at this point, (EMS) is doing well. I don’t think $25,000 and some change is going to make or break (the department). For the folks who have paid the taxes throughout the years, we need to do this as a courtesy.”

Commissioner George Green, who serves as board chairman, asked about the cost to EMS for a call which does not require treatment or transport.

“It’s basically just the gas to drive out there,” Heise said, adding it also takes an ambulance out of service.

With Monroe County EMS planning to add a “quick response vehicle” to its fleet in the near future, Heise said it would be ideal for responding to lift assist calls.

Heise was not opposed to the idea, but she did note one possible problem with eliminating the flat fee. 

“The only downfall to that is we do have some who think that’s a way of getting help actually in to their loved ones, and it’s easy to call an ambulance,” Heise said. “We’ve, in the past, gone out (to the same location) 10-15 times. I don’t know a way to get around that.”

She added those instances are rare, occurring usually about once per year, and EMS personnel in the past have worked with senior service providers to get the individuals in touch with the help they need.

After discussion, it was decided to enact a six-month trial period of not charging for EMS calls which do not require medical service or transport.

Monroe County State’s Attorney Ryan Webb advised a resolution would be required to change the department policy since it involves money. 

The particulars of the trial period will be part of a resolution which is expected to be approved during the March 4 board meeting.

In other business, Monroe County Maintenance Director Joe Lewis gave an update on progress of the ongoing Monroe County Jail expansion project. 

Lewis said there were “no surprises” and the project was currently within budget and on schedule. 

He added the project completion date, weather permitting, is Oct. 13 – and that date includes three weeks of “fluff time,” or time needed for unexpected setbacks.

Lewis said footings for the expansion structure have been poured, and a “tunnel” which leads to the former main entrance of the jail had been completed Friday.

During discussion of the project timeline last year, Lewis explained the tunnel entrance would be constructed first to allow visitors and sheriff’s department and jail personnel access to the building during construction.

The only issue – which Lewis said he could not classify as “a problem” – arose when excavation crews began hitting a hard surface about six inches below grade under the grassy area on the jail’s south side.

“The whole yard was asphalt,” Lewis said, explaining research revealed the area had served as a parking lot when the lot was used by the Monroe County Highway Department.

Lewis also asked about what was to be done with the former Monroe-Randolph Regional Office of Education building at 107 E. Mill Street in Waterloo.

He said it was costing the county about $300 per month to keep utilities on at the site.

Koerber said there have been “quite a few ideas” for how to use the building.

“I would not kill (the utilities) yet,” Green added. “We may have a path moving forward in about a month.”

Monroe County Engineer Aaron Metzger was on hand Tuesday to present bids for the 2024 aggregate maintenance program for Monroe County and the county road districts.

Several bids for various types and sizes of rock were awarded to Columbia Quarry Company and Mississippi Lime, the only two companies to submit bids.

Metzger also discussed the snowstorm which impacted Monroe County on Friday.

“The way the forecast was listed I told everyone just to sit tight because at 3 or 4 (p.m.) it’s going to die down and everybody will be able to catch up and it’s going to quit about 4 (p.m.),” Metzger began. “And at 3 (p.m.) it wasn’t quitting, and on the radar it was still snowing, and I thought ‘man, I really messed that up.’ But then, at 4 (p.m.), the sun came out and it turned wet,” allowing crews to quickly address conditions.

Metzger said county crews also went out Saturday to clear a few trouble spots where snow had drifted.

In other action, the board approved a re-zoning request by Richard Brinkman to change a parcel at 950 Floraville Road from an A-2 agriculture zone to a B-2 highway business zone to allow him construct a 67-unit storage facility business at that location.

The proposal gained unanimous approval for recommendation from the Monroe County Zoning Board of Appeals earlier this month.

The board did not approve construction of a pole barn in the flood plain in the 5100 block of Bluff Road in the bottoms near Maeystown.

Commissioners decided to not approve the request due to FEMA restrictions, and the owner not having an agricultural use for the building.

The petitioner – who said he did not expect the request to be approved – said he would do some “research and come back” if he could find a feasible solution to meet FEMA criteria.

Shari Kruep of Oak Hill, the county-owned senior care facility on Hamacher Street in Waterloo, also gave a report Tuesday.

Currently, Oak Hill is “respiratory disease free,” Kruep said, which includes no instances of influenza, COVID or RSV.

She also said since Monroe County is in the “low” level for COVID transmission, masks are not required at this time inside the facility. 

Oak Hill also hired one licensed practical nurse and four certified nursing assistants in the past month.

Kruep said she will now focus on keeping census up, as it has decreased recently, with special emphasis on sustaining or increasing Medicare-eligible census numbers.

The next meeting of the Monroe County Board takes place at 8:15 a.m. March 4 at the Monroe County Courthouse.