The Porter County
Council is seeking to explore the option of having
ambulance districts within townships as a possible alternative to
contracting with Porter Health Care System to provide ambulance services.
Some Council
members last month were surprised to learn that the County Commissioners had
extended the service contract with Porter Health from 2016 to 2020. Jim
Biggs, R-1st, said he is in favor of looking at other options as the price
for services has gone up in recent years, even though the ambulances are no
longer serving the Town of Chesterton, which opted to contract with its own
provider.
At the meeting
Tuesday, Council President Dan Whitten, D-at-large, said
along with the extension the Commissioners agreed to, it
has also been confirmed that the money paid would be from the sale of Porter
Memorial Hospital as stated in the County’s ordinances.
The issue there,
according to Whitten, is that the sale proceeds have been invested in the
County’s endowment fund, all but the $10 million set aside for capital
projects.
The current
contract is for $750,000 annually and would “eat at” the available amount of
hospital funds, Whitten said, which is now less than $8 million since moneys
were appropriated to build a new animal shelter.
“It doesn’t make
sense to do that,” he said. “Sooner or later, it’s going to dry up.”
Biggs said the
County spends more than the contracted amount on services because it also
gives subsidies to Portage Township and Ogden Dunes for their ambulances.
Council member
Robert Poparad, D-at-large, said he feels that before
alternatives are looked at the County Commissioners
should be asked if they think the County should be responsible
for ambulances or go the path of having ambulance districts.
Biggs said the
Council should also have some skin in the game. Whitten added the focus
should be on finding the best quality service with the best response times.
Whitten said he
hopes to make the matter a discussion point with the Commissioners during
the upcoming 2017 budget hearings in the fall.
Council member
Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, said that the townships should be included in the
conversation.
Should the County
decide to bow out of its agreement with Porter Health, there is a 180-day
cancellation clause, Whitten said.
The Commissioners
extended the contract once Porter Health offered to hold the cost at
$750,000 per year instead of increasing it to $1 million as originally
planned.
Jail care
In other business,
Council attorney Harold Harper told the Council he has investigated its
questions from last month concerning medical care at Porter County Jail.
Harper said he is looking into the current contract the Jail has with
Correct Care Solutions.
Medicaid won’t
cover incarcerated persons at the jail but those who receive care outside
the jail can be covered for such procedures as dialysis. Harper said he will
provide the Council with the rest of his findings in a short time.
On another topic
related to the Jail, the Council tabled 6-1 the County Sheriff’s Police
request to purchase body cameras for its 45 patrol officers. The cameras are
$25,000 but the storage for video on an iCloud server is $55,000 for the
first year, and $25,000 each subsequent year.
PCSP Chief Deputy
Jeff Biggs and Business Manager Edie Hahn said the costs will be paid with a
grant from the Drug Enforcement Administration, not the County’s general
fund, and the contract would be for five years.
Poparad questioned
the expense for the storage and if the funds from the grant would continue
to be available. He cautioned that the Council would have to come up with
the money someplace else should the grant fund wither. Hahn and Jeff Biggs
said the fee would be reduced to $25,000 in subsequent years and they do not
anticipate the grant going away.
Council members
thought it would be best to see the contract first before voting to spend
the money. Rivas dissented on the vote to table.
Other approvals
Thursday included $25,000 to the Highway Department for motor supplies and
another $25,000 for vehicle repairs this year. For the Expo Center, $8,000
will be transferred from power to building maintenance to take care of
things like water leaks, gates, and an alarm system.
Rivas said a needs
study for County venues will show what else needs to be done at the Expo
Center.