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Marion council votes to leave Clintonville ambulance service and contract with Manawa starting Jan. 1, 2027
Summary
After hearing staffing shortfalls and cost comparisons, the Marion Common Council voted to notify Clintonville Area Ambulance Service by July 1 that Marion will withdraw at year-end and approved contracting with Manawa Rural Ambulance Service beginning Jan. 1, 2027. Council cited coverage gaps and per-capita costs.
Mayor Chris Goke called the Marion Common Council meeting to order and the body spent substantial time on ambulance service options before voting to switch providers.
The council voted to notify Clintonville Area Ambulance Service (CAAS) by July 1 that Marion intends to withdraw its participation effective Dec. 31, 2026, and then voted to contract with Manawa Rural Ambulance Service starting Jan. 1, 2027. The notice motion (moved by Neal Westemeier, seconded by Harry Faehling) passed with Tucker voting no and Larson absent; the Manawa contract motion (moved by Neal Westemeier, seconded by Harry Faehling) passed with the same lone no and an absent member.
Why the change: City officials cited recent staffing shortages and differences in how capital costs are assessed. Fire Chief Joe Stuhr reported the department was "up to 81 EMS calls for the year," and Council member Harry Faehling said Marion experienced coverage shortfalls from May 24–June 8, including periods with only one crew or no staffed coverage. Manawa’s proposal used a population figure of 1,304 and a per-capita charge of $68.64, which the council said equates to about $89,507 annually; by contrast, councilmembers noted CAAS’s annual cost had been roughly $60,000. Barnick said the Town of Dupont chairman had been updated on the council’s due diligence.
Councilors debated practical tradeoffs: Manawa builds capital-item costs into its per-capita charge while CAAS assesses such items separately, and several council members expressed concern that assets already purchased by Marion would not be refunded if the city withdraws. Mayor Goke said Marion was "not getting the service they are paying for," framing the decision as a response to coverage and performance concerns.
Outcome and next steps: The council’s votes create a formal notice to CAAS by July 1 and a service transition plan to begin Jan. 1, 2027. The council did not provide a detailed transition schedule in the meeting; staff will follow up with contract details and notify affected intergovernmental partners.
