LEE COUNTY - An advisory panel is recommending that up to $100,000 of supplementary America Rescue Plan Act funding be used to start the Keokuk Ambulance building project.
On Monday, the Lee County ARPA advisory panel voted to recommend that the county's $100,000 Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency funds be used for the $70,000 purchase of land in Keokuk for the building.
The additional $30,000 would be used to pay up-front costs for engineering and design of the structure.
The building will house the additional staff, rigs, and equipment needed for Keokuk ambulance services in the wake of the closure of Blessing Hospital this fall.
Panel chairman Garry Seyb asked that the county keep the LATCF funding separate from the original ARPA allocations.
"I guess the way I look at it, this is additional funding. The original funding is going into the Lee County Health Department. This LATCF funding is new money and the full board (of supervisors) has not said what we are doing with that money," Seyb said.
Panel member Ron Fedler said the additional money could be used to reduce the money the county will need to bond for the Lee County Health Department.
"It will help us lower whatever we have to bond for the building. That would be $100,000 less for the taxpayers. Because we're going to build that building no matter what. That's going to be built," Fedler said.
"Now if there's a special project we could benefit from using it for, I'm open to that."
Seyb said that special project could be starting the new EMS building in Keokuk.
"That's $70,000. We have $50,000 currently with another $50,000 coming. I think we make a recommendation to use that $100,000 total for the Keokuk building," Seyb said.
The county has purchased three lots near the corner of 16th and Blondeau from Paul Rairden for the $70,000.
"That's something I would consider a special thing that we need to do that would be a savings to the taxpayer. Otherwise we're going to have to bond for it," Fedler said.
Jason Dinwidde said the building will be somewhere in the area of a 50 foot by 120 foot metal building.
Seyb said he's estimating close to $400,000 in today's construction costs. However, the county is waiting for an updated abstract before purchasing the property in Keokuk.
County Budget Director Cindy Renstrom said the salaries of the nine new EMTs the county approved hiring in October is taking a toll on the county's general fund, which pays salaries, as well as the county's general supplemental, which pays benefits.
Renstrom said the county is going to have to consider ARPA money or Opioid settlement funds to reimburse the county until additional revenues such as Ground Emergency Medical Transport reimbursements and/or a possible essential services levy can be found to support those costs.
The county cannot bond to pay salaries and benefits of employees.
The topic of using the other funding streams to offset some of the increased wages was going to be a topic of discussion at an upcoming Lee County Board meeting.
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