By RANDALL ALLEN

Horizon Reporter

CELINA-An update on the ambulance service and a new trash convenience site were discussed during the August Clay County Commission meeting.

Commissioners also approved the county’s budget and tax rate, and reduced the speed limit on Ad Stafford Road during the meeting.

Commissioner Bryan Coons relayed information from the ambulance committee meeting and offered the latest details on the ambulance service. 

“We are still two short on (ambulance) employees, but that is better than we have been in a long time,” Coons said.  “We are going to take one ambulance out of service. It is tearing up a lot, costing a lot of money, and have another replace it in just a few months.

“We looked at the rates, what they are charging, and we decided not to increase the rates. We thought we could do a better service to everybody in the county if we didn’t increase the rates.”

Coons also spoke about other issues the ambulance committee will tackle next month.

“Collection settlements, the agency that does our billing asked if we will take less if their bill is in collections,” he said.  “We are going to discuss that next month. If it is in collections, they aren’t going to pay it anyways.

“We have had some people to call, and if they just fall or something, and they don’t want ambulance service, but they call the ambulance and the ambulance has to go out and help them up.  Then they don’t want to go in the ambulance—we aren’t charging for that, so we are going to try to figure something out about that,” Coons continued.  “If we have an ambulance say, way way, like say, in the west end or east end, not getting paid.

“If we have an emergency that is life threatening, we would have an ambulance way out there.  We are going to have to figure out something.”

Coons proposed working with other first responders to “keep from having to take the ambulance out,” and said the committee is “going to look at that next month.”

He concluded by giving a brief update on ambulance service finances.

“The way I figured it up, we are saving $80,000 this year by not paying the city,” Coons said referring to the county’s takeover of the service, which occurred in May 2023.

Walker Hill

convenience

center open

County legislators discussed the closure of the Wood River dump site in Moss and the site being moved to the Walker Hill location.

“The (sanitation) board is very proud… and appreciate everyone involved in it,” commissioner Winton Young said.  “We have had to move the one called Wood River to Walker Hill.  It looks very nice.  I went by Friday and looked at it, and it looks great.  I wish all of our sites looked like it.

“We have another site (to be moved) coming up in the future—the one at Pea Ridge,” Young continued.  “We have to get a little money and get a few grants.

“With everyone’s help, we will be moving the one on Pea Ridge to another location in the future.  We are moving to a bigger and better location and getting off that main highway.”

Commissioner Elizabeth Boles said there is currently no electricity at the current Pea Ridge site and explained moving it to another location would give the public more space and would allow the use of a trash compactor in the future.

Other business

In other business, Young made a motion to approve the appropriations for various funds and departments of Clay County for the fiscal year 2024-2025.

Coons seconded the motion, and it passed by a 10-0 vote.

Coons made a motion to approve a resolution fixing the tax levy in Clay County for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024.

Commissioner Jennifer Ritter seconded the motion, and it passed by a 10-0 vote.  The rate was set at $2.60.

Young also made a motion to reduce the speed limit on Ad Stafford Road, which lies in District 4.

Commissioner Jerry Rhoton seconded the motion, and it passed 10-0.  The speed limit was set at 25 miles per hour.