By Steven Schwartz
Iola Register – August 21, 2013
Submitted by Newz Group Clipping Service – August 30, 2013
Iola City Administrator Carl Slaugh has been playing the middle man between Iola Fire Department workers and Allen County Emergency personnel in efforts to smooth out any wrinkles in the EMS merger between the two entities.
“We’ve got to make accommodations,” Slaugh said. “There are still a lot of issues to work out.”
He said he has discussed multiple topics with both sides. Concerns include the difference of pay scales between the city and county, work shifts (the city works a 24 hour shift, the county a 48 hour shift), facilities, revenue and certification requirements for the workers.
According to the city’s discussions, Slaugh said “everybody will have to be trained as a firefighter would be stationed outside of the city limits.
There are currently 19 city personnel and 18 county personnel (the county also has part-time positions equal to two full-time positions). Under the proposal, the county states there must be “approximately” 33 employees under a joint service.
“(Cutting personnel) is really the only way to save money,” Slaugh said.
The county will contribute $750,000 per year for the services, which Slaugh believes is not going to fully cover expenses—especially if facilities in Humboldt and Moran need to be updated.
But, Slaugh said the city is willing to work with the county to make the merger happen—they just haven’t had the chance to discuss the details. The merger proposal is listed on the agenda for Monday’s city council meeting.
“I think it’s doable,” Slaugh said. “We wouldn’t have come this far if we weren’t confident we could make it happen.”
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