Nodaway County Ambulance

Board of Director=s

Meeting / Work Session

2-5-2007

12:00

Meeting was called to order at 12:00 by chairman Walk. Those present included Walk, Redden, Standiford, Warner and McPherson, and Tobin was absent.

No minutes were read.

The main reason for the meeting was to discuss dispatching concerns. The primary goal is to give the best service to the citizens of Nodaway county. The county commissioners have given the Ambulance district a quote for dispatching, which no longer includes Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMD) trained dispatchers, no longer includes pre-arrival instructions, and no longer include the prioritizing of calls. The current dispatching fee to Nodaway County is $30,000. The county is now offering to do the ambulance dispatching for $45,000. None of the board members expressed any interest in paying more to receive less services.

There was discussion about the EMD cards and how stressful it is on the dispatchers. They next discussed both short term and long term goals. The main goal of the board members is to provide the citizens of Nodaway County the best service possible.

Florea stressed that the above all else the main focus needs to be on the ambulance service that the district must provide, dispatching is just one part of the ambulance service. With funds for dispatching being limited, if the ambulance district takes on that task, then the financial stability of the district could be at risk a few years down the road. It might be a greater loss of services to the citizens of Nodaway county in the long run to take on our own dispatching. 

There was a discussion about the need for a central 911 dispatch center and trying once again to see why the commission is hesitant trying to move that direction.

After discussion, the board members discussed a counter offer for the dispatching services as none of the board members agreed to accept less service for more money. 

There was a discussion about the start up cost for the ambulance district if the dispatching was to be moved and to assist the county with a central 911 center.

Time being limited, and not being able to come to an agreement for a counter offer, it was tabled and discussion will resume at the regular Board of Directors meeting on February 14^th, at 7:30 at the ambulance base. 

Warner made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 1:05 and Standiford seconded the motion. Walk called for a vote, Redden, yea, Warner, yea, Standiford, yea, McPherson , yea and Walk, yea. Motion carried, meeting adjourned.