The future of Missouri Valley’s full-time EMS program was discussed during the city council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, April 4.
While giving his update for the fire department, fire chief Forest Dooley noted what he believed to be an inconsistency with the city council in that item no. 10 on the agenda involved a motion to approve the job description for a full-time EMT and item no. 14 was the discussion and possible motion to dissolve the pilot program of full-time EMS personnel effective July 1, 2023.
Neither of these items passed, but much discussion was had.
A motion to approve the job description for a full-time EMT position was made by council member Sherman Struble, with a second by Aaron Tuttle. Struble and Tuttle voted in favor of the motion, with Eric Ford voting against and Patty Stueve abstaining. With that, the motion failed.
“There are some big issues that I have a problem with,” Stueve said.
A short time later, item no. 14 was discussed, which was put on the agenda by Ford.
“I think it’s time to make some changes,” he said. “As I drive by many days out of the week, people are standing out front just talking to a council member. It doesn’t seem like a lot gets done… It seems like there’s more time spent worrying about what the next problem will be or the next person we can go after or stuff that I have no idea how it pertains to what’s going on.
“I just feel that, the way we’re going and the amount of money we’re spending can be spent on a lot of better things. I’m not trying to put a dollar sign on somebody’s life, but there’s just so much that has happened and gone on that it gives us plenty of time to move forward without it.”
Dooley said that on Mondays the EMTs perform blood pressure checks and blood sugar tests, among other things, for close to two hours as a free public service. They do the same things on Wednesday, and they also have plans to go to the food pantry and hand out food.
Dooley also said that he’s trying to find as much as he can for the paid employees to do, and he asked Ford if he has a job paying him while he’s driving by, which Ford responded to by saying there is a difference between having downtime and doing nothing. Ford also said he receives calls from people who wonder if the EMTs are a good use of money.
“I would ask what’s better, spending that money or not having an EMS program?” Mayor Shawn Kelley responded.
Kelley also said he sat down with all the black helmets in the fire department and had a meeting with Dooley and all of the officers, and that, based on those meetings, he believes the previous issues with the fire department are being addressed.
With a number of resignations and dismissals coming in recent weeks, Dooley assured the council earlier on in the meeting that Missouri Valley will be able to get by.
“There’s been multiple rumors flying,” he said. “Within one day of getting two resignations, Harrison County EMA called me and asked me if I still have a fire department or if we should be put on automatic mutual aid. I assured them, and I will assure you, we do still have a fire department. There are still 25 members left.”
Dooley said that the fire department has had boundaries “wider than our city streets,” and that if he narrows them too quickly more people will leave. He described the slow and painful process of the culture he is hoping to instill in the fire department, and added on historical context for what the department is facing currently.
“It has been close to 20 years since a fire chief has eliminated anyone from the department roster,” Dooley said. “It’s just unheard of.”
Councilman Kevin Taylor was unable to attend the meeting, but he sent in a letter so his position could go on the record.
“As with all new things, the road is never easy,” an excerpt said. “However, it has been a much needed asset to our community. They are the ones we ultimately have to think about, as it is our duty to provide the service to them. Our response times have greatly improved, and the career EMTs have consistently covered the majority of the calls for Missouri Valley. The response from the community regarding them has been nothing but gratitude and their presence in the community has not gone unnoticed.”
Ford said that being responsible with taxpayer money is also a big part of what the council does.
“We don’t want to have to raise people’s taxes because we’re out of money here in a couple years because we spent all this money on paid staffing for EMS,” he said.
After close to an hour of discussion, Ford made the motion to dissolve the EMS program, effective July 1, 2023. There was no second and the motion failed.
Stueve then said she meant to second Ford’s motion, which resulted in Stueve making a new motion since the original had already failed. She received a second from Ford. Ford and Stueve voted in favor of the motion, with council members Sherman Struble and Aaron Tuttle voting against it, resulting in another failure.
