MCAD sets tax rate, OKs remounting trucks

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by Patty Cheffey

The Marion County Ambulance District again rolled back their tax rate to zero for operations and approved the remounting of trucks during their meeting last week.

The district board rolled back the operations rate to zero since operations are funded through a sales tax.

They also approved the state-directed tax rate of $.0477 per $100 assessed valuation for pension. 

After some discussion and seeing the cost of new trucks, the board approved spending up to $660,000 to remount the existing trucks onto new Ford chassis and installing some add ins, including a separate cooling unit in the box as well as a camera so the driver can see what is happening in the box.

Chief John Nemes noted the company was also not giving the district a very good quote on a trade-in either.

He also reported the new Braun truck, purchased last month, had arrived and was being equipped. 

The demo unit has a Ford F-450 chassis, which Nemes said the employees prefer over the current Chevy chassis under the Braun Express Plus the district has.

“Moving forward, we will likely stay with the Ford chassis due to the better ride,” Nemes said, adding they will likely switch all the trucks back to gasoline as well.

In other business, the board approved allowing Nemes to hire back the four drivers who are currently drivers for Cardinal Glennon.

Cardinal Glennon’s new trucks have arrived, Nemes said, and he is currently discussing the contract for both employment and lease of space.

“I let them know that we are committed to seeing the service remain in our region, but as our needs have changed, the four drivers currently utilized will likely be reassigned to other duties for our district, and that Cardinal Glennon would need to provide their own drivers,” he said.

A future meeting with Cardinal Glennon is planned, and will include the possibility of finding some kind of building to house the new truck.

In a related matter, the board approved the Cardinal Glennon resolution, which allows them to operate in the Marion County district.

The board also:

• learned the audit was completed and MCAD had no issues after the board approved having Tom Rupp, a board member, also review the credit card statements;

• approved the Code of Ethic ordinance; and

• learned district personnel had done stand-by duties at several events, include National Tom Sawyer Days, the Hannibal Cannibal, Hannibal BBQ Fest and the Marion County Fair.