South DSM News

The Pella City Council discussed updates to its ambulance and EMS services during a recent session.

City Administrator Mike Nardini told the council during a meeting streamed on YouTube that the community ambulance program, which was created in July to tackle fiscal and service issues, is positioned to be in the red by about $350,000 by the middle of 2023.

“Now council is well aware of this, but for members at home and maybe in the audience, when we talk about deficits with government services on there, such as ambulances, police departments on this, what you're really talking about is this is the amount that would need to be subsidized by taxpayers and property taxes by the city have power on it as well,” Nardini told the council. “So hence the need for the discussion this evening.”

Nardini noted that revenue is projected at $887,000 for the coming year, while adding that getting the ambulance service off the ground has been a struggle. He noted during the meeting that the program recently got the approval to bill insurances through Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Medicare and Medicaid.

However, Nardini noted that preliminary estimates over the next 18 months show the service continuing to operate in the red, with the city having to pick up the shortfall with taxpayer funding.

“From my perspective, this is an essential service,” Nardini said.

During the meeting, the council did not take any formal action regarding the service or the shortfall, but a number of proposals were discussed, including a possible tax levy to fund ambulance service as well as ways to generate revenue from the other communities outside the city that the ambulance provides service to.

Despite the financial drain, Nardini said during the meeting the city remains committed to providing service outside the community, if the communities want to continue receiving the service.