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Council moves forward on intergovernmental fire coverage and EMS contract and billing updates
Summary
The council directed staff to pursue an agreement with the Town of Manitowoc Rapids for fire coverage, directed reevaluation of EMS service contracts because of rising costs, and adopted amendments to EMS billing charges; council members emphasized these are process and budgetary steps that will require further review by finance.
The Manitowoc Common Council took several public safety steps in its September meeting, directing staff to pursue an agreement with the Town of Manitowoc Rapids for fire coverage, asking for a reevaluation of EMS service contracts, and adopting a resolution amending EMS billing charges.
Public Safety Committee chair Alderman Tim Bolt presented document 18-17 recommending that city staff be directed to develop an agreement with the Town of Manitowoc Rapids for fire coverage. Bolt emphasized that the township requested the assistance and that this action initiates a process; he said the matter is not adopted and would require further review, including finance committee consideration if a contract is proposed.
On EMS matters, the committee recommended and the council approved direction to recalculate current EMS service contracts to account for increased costs and inflation. Alderman Bolt noted rising costs for EMS responses and explained that adjustments are intended to help defer personnel and response expenses.
The council also adopted document 18-39, a resolution amending current EMS billing charges. Alderman Schley said some of the increases appeared large on first review, but further investigation showed the city had not raised charges in the prior 10 years and combined with inflation the committee planned to approve the amendments.
All motions in the public safety section passed unanimously. Council members stressed that additional committee and finance review would be necessary for any contract approvals and that these items represent procedural steps to address service costs and intergovernmental coordination.
