County may hire consultant to review EMS operations

LEE COUNTY – The Lee County Supervisors will vote on approving a county budget that will levy more than $18 million in the next fiscal year.
The board will hold a public hearing Monday morning and then vote on approving the budget as presented.
The taxes to be levied in fiscal year 2025 total $18,704,171, but with tax credits in the county, that amount dips to $18,018.893, with utility replacement taxes the total increases to $19.7 million. The county is also projecting other revenues including TIF revenues and other taxes to carry revenue for the next fiscal year starting July 1, 2024 to $40,085.209.
Expenditures for the year are estimated at $43,405.567 which creates deficit spending of approximately $3.32 million. The beginning fund balance on July 1 has been re-estimated at $14,010,038 which will put the fund balance under the proposed budget at $10.7 million on June 30, 2025.
In an unrelated agenda item, the board will also consider the hiring of an independent consulting firm to evaluate the operations of the Lee County EMS department.
Two proposals were received by the county, one from Fitch & Associates out of Platte City, Mo for $30,000 plus travel and expenses. That agreement also proposes a management services contract following the initial consulting at $350/hour to support implementation.
The other proposal came from Iowa EMS Consultants out of Sac City, Iowa for $29,250.
The idea of having an independent group evaluate the county’s ambulance service was brought up by Lee County Auditor Denise Fraise several weeks ago. EMS Director Mark Long said at that time that he wasn’t aware the county was looking at a consultant.
Supervisor Chairman Garry Seyb said it wasn’t a bad idea to have a consultant review the department’s functionality now that they’ve been in business for close to three years.
The county also has a closed session on the agenda regarding 302^nd Avenue and imminent legal action involving the street. There was an issue of drainage on that road due to the construction of the PORT trail, but it is unknown due to the agenda listing if that is the issue being discussed.
Iowa law permits a closed session with a 2/3 vote of the board, which is four of the five, or by all members present at the meeting. The agenda is based on 21.5 subsection c of the Iowa code which allows a closed session; “to discuss strategy with counsel in matters that are presently in litigation or where litigation is imminent where its disclosure would be likely to prejudice or disadvantage the position of the governmental body in that litigation.”
The agenda also includes possible action out of that closed session discussion.