Manchester Waits On County To Act On LifeMed Proposal
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH MANCHESTER - Until the Wabash County Council takes action, the North Manchester Town Council said Wednesday it was forced to table LifeMed Medical Transport Services' pleas for subsidization.
The ambulance service needs $220,000 for the next 45 months to provide the current service, said LifeMed president Christopher Brown.
That amount pays for one 24-hour ambulance and the two paramedics required on each vehicle, along with office employees and building rent, he said. LifeMed also runs a 12-hour ambulance with its two paramedics.
Without the county deciding, "it's putting us in limbo," said town council president Don Rinearson.
LifeMed used its line of credit to pay for the first quarter of 2001 before receiving money. This year is shaping up the same, Brown said.
"So I am about out," Brown said to the council.
Last year, Wabash County sent LifeMed $125,000 of the requested $200,000. This year though, no money has been handed over yet, he said.
Peabody and Timbercrest retirement communities and the town of North Manchester financed the remaining $75,000.
The county is funding LifeMed at "the 1999 level," said North Manchester town manager Dan Hannaford.
"My business is not failing," said Brown, in a previous interview. "My expenses would drop so drastically if we went to non-emergency calls. We don't need a bailing out. The town has a service and we are willing to provide it - but at a cost."
LifeMed responded to 1,397 ambulance calls from January through early December 2001, according to Marvin Gheen, LifeMed's director of operations in North Manchester.
In other business, the council:
• Approved closing Maple Street, near Peabody Retirement Community, for the fourth annual Peabody Tulip Festival April 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the retirement community.
• Held a public hearing, in accord with an Indiana Department of Environmental Management mandate. Two engineers from M.D. Wessler and Associates, Indianapolis, outlined costs and plans for making the town's sewer system comply with IDEM standards.
The cost is estimated at $3.9 million, according to the report.
• Approved the second reading for vacating the east/west alley between East and Ruse streets, North Manchester, at the request of Manchester College.
• Approved the first reading of the demolition permit.
The council's next meeting is May 1 at 7 p.m. in the Public Safety Building, North Manchester.
North Manchester Town Council includes: president Don Rinearson, vice president Stan Escott, Karl Merritt, Warren Garner, town attorney Charles Tiede and Bill Hix. Clerk-treasurer is Nancy Reed. Town manager is Dan Hannaford. Public safety director is Jack Fetrow. Plan commissioner is Bernie Ferringer. Public works superintendent is John Mugford. [[In-content Ad]]
NORTH MANCHESTER - Until the Wabash County Council takes action, the North Manchester Town Council said Wednesday it was forced to table LifeMed Medical Transport Services' pleas for subsidization.
The ambulance service needs $220,000 for the next 45 months to provide the current service, said LifeMed president Christopher Brown.
That amount pays for one 24-hour ambulance and the two paramedics required on each vehicle, along with office employees and building rent, he said. LifeMed also runs a 12-hour ambulance with its two paramedics.
Without the county deciding, "it's putting us in limbo," said town council president Don Rinearson.
LifeMed used its line of credit to pay for the first quarter of 2001 before receiving money. This year is shaping up the same, Brown said.
"So I am about out," Brown said to the council.
Last year, Wabash County sent LifeMed $125,000 of the requested $200,000. This year though, no money has been handed over yet, he said.
Peabody and Timbercrest retirement communities and the town of North Manchester financed the remaining $75,000.
The county is funding LifeMed at "the 1999 level," said North Manchester town manager Dan Hannaford.
"My business is not failing," said Brown, in a previous interview. "My expenses would drop so drastically if we went to non-emergency calls. We don't need a bailing out. The town has a service and we are willing to provide it - but at a cost."
LifeMed responded to 1,397 ambulance calls from January through early December 2001, according to Marvin Gheen, LifeMed's director of operations in North Manchester.
In other business, the council:
• Approved closing Maple Street, near Peabody Retirement Community, for the fourth annual Peabody Tulip Festival April 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the retirement community.
• Held a public hearing, in accord with an Indiana Department of Environmental Management mandate. Two engineers from M.D. Wessler and Associates, Indianapolis, outlined costs and plans for making the town's sewer system comply with IDEM standards.
The cost is estimated at $3.9 million, according to the report.
• Approved the second reading for vacating the east/west alley between East and Ruse streets, North Manchester, at the request of Manchester College.
• Approved the first reading of the demolition permit.
The council's next meeting is May 1 at 7 p.m. in the Public Safety Building, North Manchester.
North Manchester Town Council includes: president Don Rinearson, vice president Stan Escott, Karl Merritt, Warren Garner, town attorney Charles Tiede and Bill Hix. Clerk-treasurer is Nancy Reed. Town manager is Dan Hannaford. Public safety director is Jack Fetrow. Plan commissioner is Bernie Ferringer. Public works superintendent is John Mugford. [[In-content Ad]]