County to see nearly $738,900 in storm-disaster funds

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER
The Marion County Commission heard Monday in a good news report that Marion County and three of its cities will receive nearly $738,900 in federal and state disaster funds for June and July storm damage.

But on the bad news side, the commissioners learned a deepening problem in billing for ambulance services potentially could cost the county in the tens of thousands of dollars by some estimates. Scot Loyd, county auditor, told commissioners that most ambulance calls for 2003 and 2004 haven’t been billed.

Michele Abbott-Becker, emergency management and communications director, said the county’s share of 10 percent state and 75 percent federal disaster funds will total about $695,800.

Technically the county owes another 15 percent of funds above that for total expenditures, she said, but it’s already done that in all of the routine money spent at the time in handling such things as road-flooding problems-even such issues as employee benefits paid to workers during the disaster and hours put in by volunteers county toward the county share of the expense, she added.

This means that nearly all the county has to do now is wait to receive the check that comes through the state at an unknown arrival time, she said. Most of the money will go to the road and bridge department, which did the work such as clearing ditches and restoring road surfaces.

The same cost-share principles apply to the three cities, Hillsboro, Florence and Marion, which will receive $6,614.70, $23,624.90 and $12,774.65 respectively.

Additional funds may come for “mitigation” projects, which are designed to prevent future damage, Abbott-Becker said. For example, she said, Hillsboro may receive money toward upgrading a culvert on Indigo Road so it can allow more water through.

Abbott-Becker said the county also is receiving its first 911 checks from a new monthly 25 cents per cellular phone tax.

The first check was tiny, she said-only $1.77 because most cellular companies hadn’t done reports yet. But the second check of $889 for the month of July still had a disclaimer with it because some companies with multiple phones hadn’t been taxed for more than one phone.

Following a 15-minute executive session to discuss personnel in the ambulance billing situation, the commissioners appointed Loyd and his firm to “implement procedures and oversee ambulance personnel” in an effort to bring accounting to date.

Loyd said his audit report in July pointed out that the emergency medical services department was not up-to-date in billing for ambulance runs. When he checked again in August, not much had been done to change the situation, he said.

When he checked again, Loyd said he found that no ambulance billings have been done for 2003, and 2004 runs from March to now are not billed.

Loyd said the department is faced with difficulties in making sure collection from billings occurs, making transitions from years of hand paperwork to using new computer software, tracking a growing number of people who are without insurance, and in having any time apart from updating and supplying medical requirements.

For instance, he said, EMS Director Darryl Thiesen must not only help employees transition on billing, he also must provide training and certification for volunteers as well as purchasing drugs and supplies.

Loyd said he would follow commissioners’ directives to make sure billings are done first for ambulance runs so old they may “drop off the radar screens” of insurance companies before they can pay.

Commissioner Howard Collett said he is concerned with the number of calls he is getting on county zoning for wind turbine farms to generate electricity.

He told Planning and Zoning Director David Brazil that he wanted at least one more week to study changes made on a new county plan in public hearing. He was unsure about the time that might be required for another look at wind turbines.

Commissioner Bob Hein said he agreed the turbines “are something we got to look at,” but he didn’t see any reason the commissioners couldn’t come to final approval of the planning and zoning plan next week.

“I think the planning and zoning committee has done a good job on it,” Hein said.

Collett said many of the complaints against wind turbines amount to rural residents potentially having to live with what they see as a “manufacturer” that will reduce property values next to them with no chance of compensation.

He said the blocking of open sky views changes the nature of the area, “and flies in the face of the establishing of agri-tourism. You can see them (wind turbines) from a great distance.”

Collett noted that the wind turbines at Montezuma will lose the tourist appeal they have had as wind farms become more common in the state.

Brazil said the nature of zoning has been “not to say no to a beneficial practice,” but to regulate its location for the benefit to the most people. In the case of wind farms, he said regulations were developed to place turbines in the areas of least residential density with the best wind speeds and the best proximity to transmission lines.

In Marion County, he said, that meant designating areas for wind turbines primarily at the south end and the north end of the county.

In budget reports for the departments he administers, Brazil said planning and zoning was at 54 percent of budget for the year Sept. 30, environmental health at 72 percent, and transfer station at 72 percent.

He reported 696.36 tons of solid waste hauled through the transfer station in September including 635.84 tons of municipal solid waste, 52.79 tons of commercial and demolition waste, and .45 tons of tires.

Collett reported an illegal dump site of tires at Clear Creek and 230th.

County Clerk Carol Maggard reported that county valuation has risen this year from July to now by $161,292 to a total of $95,166,828. A year ago, she said valuation stood at $91,462,319.

Marion County also has received an improved rating for workman’s compensation of .93, down from .97 on its last report, Maggard said. She added that anything below a rating of 1.0 is considered good.

The commissioners were in executive session for personnel for 10 minutes with County Attorney Susan Robson.

Noxious Weeds Supervisor Bill Smithhart reported he sold 90 gallons of the broad leaf herbicide tordon in a week, primarily for aerial-applied thistle control.

To resupply stock, commissioners approved a bid of $7,702 from Ag Service of Hillsboro for 100 gallons of tordon over a bid of $7,985 from Markley Service at Marion.

The commissioners approved a total bid for transport fuel of $14,016.70 from Cardie Oil of Tampa over a bid of $14,170 from Cooperative Grain & Supply at Hillsboro.

The bid included 4,000 gallons of diesel in tank three at $1.8629 a gallon for $7,451.60, 1,000 gallons of diesel in tank one at $1.6064 for $1,606.40, and 3,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline at $1.6529 for $4,958.70.

The Cooperative Grain bids for the same quantities were at $1.88 for $7,520, $1.625 for $1,625 and $1.675 for $5,025.

Maggard, in answer to commissioners about rising fuel prices, researched, and found that the price for comparable quantity of fuel in August was in the $12,000 range rather than the $14,000.

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