Allen County commissioners Monday afternoon transferred $135,204 from the general fund so the ambulance fund would end the year in the black. COMMISSIONERS approved a recommendation of the Planning Board that USD 258 be given a conditional use permit to build its new sports complex — construction of which started a couple of months ago — just each of Humboldt’s city limit.
Chairman Dick Works blamed part of the shortfall on “us, maybe under-budgeting for ambulance service.”
The budget called for expenditures of slightly more than $1.3 million, with about $290,000 of that coming from ad valorem taxes. The remaining $1 million-plus was anticipated from charges made for services.
Works noted that Medicare reimbursements were less than anticipated, which was a factor in the commissioners having to come up with extra cash to keep the ambulance fund from violating state law.
Kansas’ cash-basis law requires expenditures in a year to be matched by revenue. If revenue falls short, an end-of-year consideration — such as the $135,204 ambulance transfer — must be made.
Two new commissioners, Tom Williams and Jim Talkington, will be sworn in Jan. 14 and will take their seats on the commission at its Jan. 15 meeting. First on their plate is to resume negotiations with city leaders to merge Allen County’s and Iola’s ambulance services, which, presumably, would cut overall costs.
Outgoing commissioners Gary McIntosh and Rob Francis won election in November 2008 on the promise to find a way to bring the two sides together. That didn’t occur, but both said Tuesday they hoped accord could be struck between the two governing bodies on the issue.
One joint meeting was held in early December and another is scheduled the evening of Feb. 5 in the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
“I hope the new commission can find a way to put the two services together,” McIntosh said. “I’m optimistic.”
As it stands today, Iola’s service, operated by its fire department, answers all calls inside city limits. Allen County’s ambulances — two stationed in Iola and one each in Humboldt and Moran — answer calls elsewhere in the county.
County Counselor Alan Weber said several people attended the permit hearing and the only concern of consequence was whether Bridge Street would be extended to give a second access road to the complex. Such a road would run east from Humboldt proper just south of the old Santa Fe Railroad depot.
That was mentioned early in plans for the complex, but then was removed, Weber said.
“There are no plans for extending Bridge Street at the present time,” he said.
As is, the lone access road runs south from Georgia Road, which is an extension of Central Street in Humboldt.
A possibility for a second access, commissioners mentioned, would be from Florida Road, which is Pine Street in Humboldt and runs along the south side of the complex.
K.B. Criss, superintendent of schools, told the Register two weeks ago that work was progressing well and that parts of spring sports seasons — baseball, softball and track — might be played at the complex. He is confident the complex will be ready well ahead of the start of football season in early September.
The complex is being constructed on the south end of a nearly 52-acre tract given the district by Joe and Jane Works
Transfer keeps ambulance fund solvent
