News 28 May 2019

Supervisors will have county attorney look at ambulance contact

The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to have the county attorney look at a contract proposed by Chickasaw Ambulance Service, but those hoping the board would bypass the Ambulance Council and approve a contract left the meeting disappointed.
Ambulance service owner Jeremy McGrath asked the Board of Supervisors to approve a contract for $165,000 the first year and $195,000 the second year.
“I’d ask, contingent on [County Attorney] Jennifer [Schwickerath’s] looking at it, to agree to this and put this issue to rest,” McGrath said during a meeting that was at times contentious but remained for the most part civil.
Supervisors Steve Geerts, who chairs the Ambulance Council, said he was disappointed that the supervisors were entertaining the offer from McGrath.
“I think it’s a slap in the face to all the council members that this is being brought here,” said Geerts, who said the Ambulance Council will meet this morning [Thursday] at 10 at the Community Services Building. “Let us do our job.”
Board Chairman Jacob Hackman, who wondered about the legality of bypassing the Ambulance Council, did ask his fellow board members for “consensus” to at least send the proposed contract to Schwickerath, and all of them, including Geerts, agreed. Hackman also told McGrath the ambulance issue would be placed on next Monday’s meeting.
— For more on this story, see the May 30 Reporter and the June 4 Tribune

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