Moses Lake ambulance fee increases

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council will increase the ambulance utility fee to $11.38 per month beginning in January.

The fee increase was passed on a four-to-three vote at the last council meeting.

In addition to the fee increase, the city is increasing its general fund contribution to the ambulance service fund from $73,500 to $186,100.

The general fund contribution increase means the city will need to re-adjust funds to other public services.

The general fund pays for a city’s services and employees’ salaries.

“Now that we increased the general fund contribution, we will most likely look at cutting services from the parks and recreation department in all likelihood,” said councilman Brent Reese, one of three councilmembers who opposed the resolution.

After weeks of discussion, the fee increase was passed by councilmembers in order to start paying for a $700,000 deficit incurred through the city’s ambulance service fund.

The $11.38 fee is an increase from the current $4.70 monthly utility fee.

Councilmembers Richard Pearce, Bill Ecret, Dave Curnel and Karen Liebrecht voted to approve the increase.

“I have great trepidation in the fee increase. I know it will be a financial struggle for some people. But I believe the service the city of Moses Lake provides is a great thing,” said Pearce, who suggested the $11.38 rate.

During past council meetings, those who supported the fee increase expressed the importance of keeping the ambulance service fund, which pays 17 employees working as ambulance staff and firefighters through the Moses Lake Fire Department.

“I think the firefighters offer a great service to the community,” said Ecret.

He brought up the fact that the city council can reduce the utility fee if the “tax base improves.”

“That is a possibility, but with current conditions it is unlikely that the conditions of Medicaid and Medicare will improve,” said City Manager Joe Gavinski.

Dissenting opinion was heard throughout the discussion.

Mayor Jon Lane, councilmen Dick Deane and Brent Reese voted against the fee increase.

“I am not far from privatizing the service. I’ve heard so many senior citizens say, ‘I’m a senior citizen and I have never used the (ambulance) service’,” said Deane. “The pocket is only so full. Who do we lay off?”

Turning the ambulance service into a private enterprise would change its current utility fee model into a user-based fee.

The mayor questioned the role of an ambulance service provided by a city.

“Other people who have run the ambulance service in Moses Lake gave up because they couldn’t afford it. I wonder if it is truly a city function to provide an ambulance service? The hospital used to provide the service and I think they should have continued to provide service, being in the medical field,” he said.

Moses Lake began operating the ambulance service as a city service nine years ago, after the previous ambulance service provider, Samaritan Hospital, spent six years in the industry, according to city documents.

Prior to that, the city was paid to provide only manpower assistance to the hospital, according to the documents. The agreement started in May 1967.

Councilmembers plan to hold several public meetings in early January to allow citizens to express their thoughts on the ambulance service.

“It will be a good opportunity for public to tell us what they want in a public setting,” said Lane. “Tell us what you want.”

The public meeting dates have not been decided.

“I don’t think we’ve explored the options enough,” said Lane.