Marion County Ambulance District sets 2025 tax rate, approves budget amendment

PALMYRA, Mo. — The approval of a budget amendment and the setting of the tax rate for 2025 were among the topics of discussion at the Marion County Ambulance District board of directors meeting on Aug. 15.

The board added a line item to the budget for the pension fund as requested by the recent audit by Evers & Company, CPAs, LLC.

The pension fund money, which comes from a county-wide property tax, is sent to the district, which then passes it on to the pension board, a separate entity from the MCAD board. However, the auditors stressed that a line item must still be in the budget. Chief John Nemes noted he has already included the 2025 fiscal year budget in it but an amendment was needed for this year’s budget.

Auditors also questioned the pension fund concerning the portion of Ralls County in the Marion County Ambulance District, noting it was not approved in that section. 

Nemes explained, however, that it passed in the district as a whole. He further noted the auditors had made a note that purchase orders need to be checked by two people, which the district is already doing. Otherwise, he said, the audit looked good and noted the auditors were thorough.

Nemes said the auditors informed him because of the amount of time it took to do the audit that the bill would be higher than the contracted amount. He noted this was the first year for this auditing firm and did not believe that would be the case in the future.

In setting the 2025 tax rate, the board voted to keep the pension fund rate at .485 per $100 assessed valuation, the maximum amount allowed by law this year. That will generate around $290,000 for the district employees.

The board also voted to roll back the tax rate to zero for the operational fund again this year since they receive a 1/2 cent sales tax for that purpose. 

In other business, the board discussed the tourism center and how it might be obtained for use as another district building.

Nemes said he had visited with a representative of the Missouri Department of Transportation, who clarified that whether the district does a lease/purchase or buys the building outright, it still must be approved by the legislature. By doing a lease/purchase plan, the district would have possession of the building and would have made payments toward the purchase once it is approved by the state, Nemes said.

If the district agrees to that plan, MoDOT will get the property appraised, he added.

Board members questioned whether a representative of MoDOT could attend a future meeting to answer questions. Nemes said an in-person meeting or possibly a Zoom meeting could be arranged.

In his report, Nemes said the administrative staff and the assistant chiefs had met with Randy Epley and Walter Ray from Hannibal Regional Hospital to discuss transfers, paperwork issues and training.

“The forms are not consistent,” Nemes said. “ER has the correct one, but the floor might have a different one and the OB/GYN might have yet another one.”

MCAD also offered to provide a training session on EMS rules and procedures, he said. In turn, interest was expressed in having their doctors or staff provide education in cardiology for the MCAD crews.

Nemes also reported he, Branson Well and Hannibal Police Chief Jacob Nacke viewed a mobile command unit being recommissioned by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

“The unit will ultimately be reassigned to a law enforcement agency that meets the criteria put out by the state, and they are currently taking applications for that,” Nemes explained, noting the emergency agencies have discussed a regional command center that would meet all the needs of local and regional agencies. “This unit could do that.”

If the Hannibal Police obtains the unit, Nemes said it would replace the current mobile unit the MCAD uses.

“We would also provide training for this unit,” he said.

The board also:

• learned all documentation for the ARPA grans has been entered into the grant portal, and the district should be receiving a reimbursement check soon;
• learned MCAD had received the Frontline Organization of the Year from the CIT during the recent Saints Avenue CIT dinner;
• learned training has been done for all employees on the new Zoll Autopulse NXT units, and the units have now been placed in service. Training will continue for fire departments, Nemes said, adding the grant paperwork has been completed on those, and the district will be getting reimbursed.

The board also reviewed ambulance calls for July, of which there were 524 calls for emergency services.

Information for this story was provided by Patty Cheffey, former owner of the Palmyra Spectator newspaper. She now is on the administrative team for the Marion County Ambulance District.