THOMAS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES AGENCY
Board of Directors Meeting
12/21/00, 4:00
PM
Board Members Present: Chairman Josh Herring, Ervin Brock, Roy Campbell,
Ricky Smith, Earl Williams
Staff: Tommy Layton, E911 Director; Fire Chief Joe Cole, EMS Shift Captains Tim Coram, Derrick Ogletree, & Debbie Carver, Chris Jones, VFL, James Hart, VFC, Julie Stripling, Secretary
News Media: Mark Brannan, WPAX
Chairman Josh Herring called the meeting to order. Earl Williams opened with prayer.
Roy Campbell made a motion to approve the minutes from the November 28, 2000 meeting. The motion was seconded by Ricky Smith. With all in favor, the minutes were approved.
Mr. Lewis appealed to the Board to consider extending to him the same early retirement options offered to the City employees. After discussion, the Board decided the ESB could not offer this option. Mayor Campbell and Mr. Williams will present this to the City and see if they can do anything.
Before bids were opened, Ervin Brock excused himself. The bid proposals for the $3,000,000.00 Line of Credit were:
Thomasville National Bank 5.45%
Bank of Thomas County 5.29%
Commercial Bank 6.46%
Thomas County Federal 7.50%
Bank of America 5.54%
SunTrust 6.39%
Ricky Smith made a motion to accept the bid for the $3,000,000.00 line of credit from Bank of Thomas County at 5.29% interest, a fixed rate. Earl Williams seconded the motion. Voting in favor were Josh Herring and Roy Campbell. Ervin Brock did not vote. With no opposition, the motion passed.
EMS ambulances are in need of equipment in order to bring all of them up to a standardized set on each unit. Most of the equipment is 10 plus years old and repair costs are significant. The cost to purchase the needed equipment is $47,279,00 and may be included in the existing lease for the two new ambulances. Roy Campbell made a motion to purchase the new equipment totaling $47,279.00. Ricky Smith seconded the motion. With no opposition, the motion carried. Roy Campbell then made a motion to amend the existing lease on the two new ambulances to include the cost of the equipment that would result in a total lease of $188,979.00 and allow Earl Williams and Jack Smith to sign the lease documents. The motion was seconded by Ervin Brock. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Executive Director Jack Smith stated that Medicare is going to a fixed rate schedule that will be phased in over a four-year period of time. They will also allow a $7.50 charge per loaded mile. The average transport fee statewide is a base fee of $425.00 and we currently only charge $350.00. Mr. Smith recommended that the Board raise our base fee and charge per mileage. Ervin Brock made a motion to raise the base transport fee to $400.00 and charge $7.50 per loaded mile. Earl Williams seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion carried.
Ervin Brock made a motion to approve the requested EMS write-offs of the accounts with no activity for 18 months totaling $5,600.00. Ricky Smith seconded the motion. There was no opposition. The motion carried.
Chairman Herring stated that he is not prepared to make a decision on the location or building plans. Roy Campbell said that he would like a meeting set up with the Board and Sheriff Powell, Chief Perry, ESB staff, and Larry Pope (SP Design Group) to discuss concerns before deciding on the location. The meeting is set for December 28, 2000 at 7:30 AM.
Chief Joe Cole reported 1445 calls to date for the year 2000. The third new pumper has arrived and is being outfitted. Another unit is scheduled to be delivered on 12-27-00. The 1998 Pierce pumper will go to Meigs Mid-January. Rescue One has been striped and lighting and radio installations have been completed. Six new recruits went on shift
12-15-00 and are doing well.
Tommy Layton reported an approximate total of 110,000 to 113,000 calls for the year 2000. A chart of the year will be sent out.
E911 encountered an emergency last week as all phones in dispatch were out for two hours. Protocol was followed and everything went well.
James Hart stated that a Module class to get all volunteers certified is scheduled for January. There are many good plans in slated for next year. Everything is going well.
Chris Jones reported 707 calls for the year 2000 up until 12/18/00. Ochlocknee ran 133 of these calls. The fleet is in decent shape.
The second class of First Responders graduates tonight and they are also taking their National Registry test.
Captain Derrick Ogletree reported 4741 calls to date for the year 2000. The first cross-trained EMT/Paramedic, Joey Thompson, worked a 24-hour shift in the Fire Department.
With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned.