The Carroll County Board of Supervisors moved their regular Monday meeting to Wednesday for one main reason, the appointment of Lisa Wagner as the new Carroll County Treasurer. The board could not fill the position by appointment until the resignation of past Treasurer, Jean Seidl, which was effective June 30. Wagner was sworn in by Magistrate A. Eric Neu. The board then entered into a discussion that started with the stipend amount paid to Manning, Breda and Coon Rapids for their ambulance services. Chair, Rich Ruggles, says he, Carroll County Ambulance Director, Darrell Baker, and Supervisor, Stephanie Hausman, met via ZOOM about an ongoing issue with Manning City Administrator, Dawn Meyer, and Manning Municipal Light Plant administrative assistant, Amy Ferneding, who has been doing all of the paperwork for their ambulance service.
Ruggles says Manning is considering paying a nominal amount, between $4,000 and $5,000 per year, for the completion of ambulance service paperwork. Gene Meiners says staffing is an issue going beyond money, beyond Manning and soon beyond ambulance services.
Ruggles agrees societal changes and increased demands both play a role.
Carroll County has been supplying a monthly stipend to these three communities, but it has not increased for about 25 years. In the 1990s it was at $700 and was doubled to $1,400 at that time, but nothing since. Ruggles suggests it be raised.
The county will have to do a budget amendment to cover the expenditure, and they will also have to find the money from somewhere else in the budget to cover it. A motion to raise the stipend to $1,800 per month for the ambulance services in Manning, Breda and Coon Rapids was approved on a unanimous vote.
