Ken-Tenn EMS Board to discuss fee options with Fulton Co. Jailer

The election of officers was among items included on the agenda for the July 16 regular meeting of the Ken-Tenn EMS Board, with David Gallagher retaining his seat as Board Chair, Johnny Bacon elected to serve as Vice-Chair and Mike Gunn returning to his post as Secretary, by unanimous vote.

An addition to the board was approved, an at-large member, to accommodate for Gallagher, who previously served on the board as an at-large member and recently was hired as Hickman’s City Manager. The City Manager’s position for Fulton, South Fulton and Hickman maintains a seat on the board.

Gunn nominated Rebecca Biehslich to serve, with the nomination unanimously approved by board members present, Milton Dean, Pete Algee, Jim Martin, Amelia Prater, Hugh Caldwell, Gallagher, Bacon and Gunn. Board member David Weatherly was absent, as was Ken-Tenn EMS Director Kevin Kelley.

Martin provided information to the board, regarding a previously discussed topic of membership fees, specifically as relating to the Fulton County Detention Center in Hickman.

Martin reported he had held discussion with Fulton County Jailer Steven Williams, who had told him the Jail’s budget had been prepared designating $12,000 annually for the ambulance service, with $2000 of that figure derived from calculations based on the number of employees and the remaining $10,000, to cover the inmates incarcerated at the facility.

Martin said the figure suggested by the board for the Fulton County Detention Center to be covered, $54,000, which is the amount previously paid, was declined.

“We don’t negotiate the $17 per month fee for individuals,” said Gallagher, citing the risk factor involved with the facility as well as the precedent set by the Detention Center for previous annual payments of $54,000.

“Considering the risk factor, $1,000 a month for 600 people, $12,000 is not even a figure to think about,” said board member Pete Algee.

Board member Hugh Caldwell noted the Jail budget had already been completed, however Gallagher reminded the board that amendments may be made to budgets.

Gallagher asked the board to give consideration to what the nursing home facility is paying, which is $17 per month for each resident there, in addition to the employee based membership fee each month.

As a comparison, the $10,000 budgeted to cover the 525 inmates would equate to approximately $1.50 per month paid to provide ambulance service coverage for each of them.

Martin explained to the board that he would go back to Williams for further discussion as to the jail’s membership fee, but he would like to be able to provide him, as well as the fiscal court, with supporting information to justify an amount more than the $12,000.

Dean suggested giving consideration to the household monthly membership of $17, with an average household based upon two and one half individuals in the household.

Based on the number of people incarcerated at the jail, and dividing that number by two and one half, would equate to the same number of people as 210 households. For 210 households, paying $17 per month for 12 months, the total would be $42,840, Gunn said.

Martin said while he could not agree that the previously requested figure was fair to consider for the jail, at $54,000, he could support the $42,000 yearly rate for the jail as being fair and would meet with the Jailer as well as officials, to recommend that amount.

Caldwell requested the board ask from each city, a compilation of numbers, as to citizens of Fulton, South Fulton and Hickman who have chosen to pay the ambulance service membership fee on their water bills, and those who have not.

It was determined that by September, those figures could be compiled and shared with the board.

In a related matter, Martin reported he had gathered data which indicated approximately 690 residences in Fulton County had no water meter, out of those, approximately 144 were returned undeliverable when notices regarding the ambulance subscription fee were mailed out, 20 residents chose to begin paying the $17 per month, to be billed or pay the $204 once a year, 43 already pay the fee, two use bank draft for payment of the fee and seven actually did have meters, with the designation they did not, in error.

Martin said through the mail out to those addresses which had been considered to have no water meter, and in consideration of the responses, it appeared approximately 65%-70% of residents in the county were not paying for ambulance service.

He told the board there was an immediate need to put in place, a mechanism by which those county residents who do not have a water meter, yet want to pay the $17 per month fee each month, may be billed.

Discussion then took place as to a software program which could be accessible by all entities involved in collection of the fee, the three cities, the county and the Ken-Tenn EMS office, to fine tune the method of know who has paid the fee and who has not. That determination would then result in billing for ambulance service, as those who pay the fee will not be billed more than what the insurance company pays, while those who do not pay the fee, will be billed for the full amount, over what the insurance pays.

The board reviewed statistics as to ambulance service calls made in June, with 50 calls made in Fulton, 20 of those now paying the fee and 30 not paying the fee; 28 calls made in South Fulton with 19 now paying the fee and 9 not paying; in Hickman, a total of 13 ambulance service calls made, with 8 paying the fee now and 5 not paying. Other locations, statistics showed a total of 8, with 7 now paying the fee, and 1 not paying.

As to the Unaudited Balance Sheet through June 30, total current liabilities were listed at $41,863.86, long term liabilities were at $803,610.90, total stockowner equity, $551,535.56 and total liabilities and fund balance, $1,397,010.32.

The Ken-Tenn EMS Membership Program Terms, Agreement and Enrollment, effective July 1 was approved by the board, and will be published in the July 31 edition of The Current, as well as on the website, www.TheCurrent.press.

The next meeting was scheduled for Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. at the Ken-Tenn EMS Base in Fulton.