Moses Lake ambulance funds exceed spending

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake ambulance fund is holding strong halfway through the year.

"I think we're doing pretty well, we're holding our own," Gavinski said. "As we move through the year we get a better idea."

As of June 30 the fund generated about 63 percent of projected revenue for the year, or $1.5 million and spent about 31 percent, or $779,874, of what was budgeted, Gavinski said.

An upcoming inter-fund loan payment will raise revenues further, he added.

Councilman Richard Pearce said he was surprised to see annual expenses are at more than 50 percent just six months into the year.

The higher expenses could be at least partially due to a more than 17 percent call increase over last year, the bulk of which has been for primary ambulance services, according to Moses Lake Fire Chief Tom Taylor.

Last year the city council voted to subsidize the ambulance fund by increasing the per household utility fee to $8.25 and the annual general fund contribution to $252,800. The city will take another look at contribution levels during a budget discussion later in the year, Gavinski said.

"There definitely will be the possibility of an adjustment," he said. "It could be up or down, more contribution from the general fund, we don't know but for right now (the ambulance fund) looks pretty good."

Also last Tuesday the council approved a mutual aid agreement with Quincy's new ambulance provider Protect 1 LLC, which Taylor said is similar to the agreement the city previously held with AMR.

"If they get in a pinch and we have available resources we can respond to certain areas," he said. "We also explained to the company that we don't typically respond to Quincy for mutual aid because we need to keep our folks here in town. They understood that."