The Forest City council on Aug. 21 approved a resolution establishing a 28E agreement with Winnebago County and Forest City Ambulance Service for ambulance services and funding.
The stated purpose of the agreement is to provide funding for ambulance services and staffing to the citizens of Winnebago County. It is effective on July 1, 2023, and runs through June 30, 2024, and will automatically renew for one-year periods unless written notice is given at least three months prior to the last day of the initial agreement or renewal agreements.
The City of Forest City will continue to support the EMT and/or paramedic costs for Forest City Ambulance Service and remain employer of record. The city will also provide salary and benefit documentation for Forest City Ambulance Service paramedics and EMTs to Winnebago County on a monthly basis.
Winnebago County agrees to provide up to $478,000 annually (during the county’s fiscal year) to the City of Forest City to assist with funding for Forest City Ambulance Service in exchange for the use of its service. The funds shall be allocated solely towards the payment of EMT and/or paramedic salaries and benefits unless otherwise authorized by Winnebago County. The actual amount of funds provided annually shall be determined by the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors after consideration of a proposed budget from Forest City Ambulance Service and/or Forest City.
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Forest City Ambulance Service agrees to provide staff and manage the county-funded EMTs and paramedics to the best of staffing availability and maintain two response units in addition to supplying advanced life support (advanced EMT or above) auto response to dispatched calls originating within Winnebago County.
The city, county, and ambulance service will be responsible for the financing of their own responsibilities under the agreement with a few exceptions. The Winnebago County Auditor, or auditor designee, is designated as the administrator of the agreement.
The council unanimously approved a $98,615.50 low bid quote from Brian Nettleton Excavating in Joice for the city’s I Street sanitary sewer replacement project. Rogness Construction of Lake Mills submitted a $109,785 bid quote for the project, which will reconstruct the existing sanitary sewer serving three homes on I Street. The existing sanitary sewer is undersized and failing, according to WHKS engineers.
Following a public hearing, the council approved entering into a loan agreement to borrow money in a principal amount not to exceed $400,000 for the city’s library project. During the hearing, Mayor Ron Holland asked for public comments, but none were received. City Administrator Daisy Huffman also reported that no formal written comments had been received.
The library project funds are to be used for costs related to renovating, furnishing, and equipping the existing building planned for the municipal public library as well as constructing parking lot improvements after having published notice of the proposal including the right to petition for an election. The approved resolution on the matter notes that as of the Aug. 21 council meeting date, no petition was filed with the city.
The council also approved two 28E agreements with Forest City Economic Development Inc. The agreements with the city are for marketing and operations. Under the agreements, Forest City Economic Development will undertake activities and programs to support and enhance economic development. The total cost of the five-year operating agreement is $200,000 ($40,000 annually). The total cost of the five-year marketing agreement is $275,000.
Mayor Holland noted payroll changes, including Spencer Armstrong (paramedic) three-year step increase to $19.25 per hour; Joe Klukow (paramedic) five-year step increase to $20.00 per hour; Adrian Macpherson (EMT) new hire at $17.00 per hour; Nathan Doden (lineman) new hire at $31.11 per hour; Lance Heimer (WT/SW) six-month probation increase to $28.52 per hour.
In other business, the council approved:
- Fireworks permit for Waldorf University Athletics for touchdown fireworks on Aug. 26, Sept. 9, Sept. 23, Oct. 7, and Oct. 21 at Bolstorff Field.
- Street closure request from Immanuel Lutheran Church for a portion of Clark Street in front of the church on Sept. 6.
- Street closure request from the FCHS Student Council for the 7 p.m. Sept. 7 homecoming parade to begin on Clark Street in front of Immanuel Lutheran Church and conclude in front of the Civic Auditorium.
