County Board Approves Six-Month Extension of Emergency Ambulance Service Contract w/Abbott EMS

Effingham County Board members Monday voted to extend their 911 ambulance agreement with Abbott EMS by six months past its scheduled April 2022 expiration deadline. The move came after the Board last month rejected a recommendation from their Ambulance Oversight Committee to award the new contract to Rural Med. 

However, the Board also voted to hold a special meeting for Tuesday, December 28, specifically to consider 911 ambulance service. That meeting agenda could include re-considering the earlier rejection of the contract award to Rural Med.

At Monday's meeting, board member Heather Mumma reported that she spent most of Friday talking with both Abbott and Rural Med officials and feels good about both vendors and their capabilities to provide service. Mumma said she is ready to change her vote against awarding to Rural Med and vote for the award.

A concern now, though, is that time is tight for Rural Med to be ready to assume service from Abbott in April. A Rural Med spokesman said at Monday's meeting that it would be very tight to be ready to roll when the Abbott contract ends. Originally, the Ambulance Oversight Committee had been working with a goal of getting their work done in time for a vote in October to award a contract. The work took longer to complete and then things were delayed even longer when the County Board rejected the committee's recommendation of Rural Med.

County Board Chairman Jim Niemann confirmed that the special meeting agenda on the 28th could see a vote to award to Rural Med, and a vote to rescind the six-month extension just approved with Abbott. Niemann also said he has spoken with Abbott and they are willing to extend their existing contract.

In the meantime, Board member Elizabeth Huston, who is an owner of A-1 Ambulance Service in Altamont, abstained from the vote on the six-month extension of the Abbott contract. Board member Norbert Soltwedel voted No on the extension, and members Dave Campbell and John Perry remained absent due to illness. Those voting for the extension were Rob Arnold, Joe Thoele, Doug McCain and Mumma. 

Also Monday, the County Board honored retired Health Department employee Becky Heiens for 26 years of service, but tabled recognition of retired sheriff's deputy Jeff Suckow for another month; taking a year off on an electrical aggregation as the rates don't justify any action; approved the pay rate for the next County Board Chairman; approved a contract with Circuit Clerk's Office employees covered by the Fraternal Order of Police local; renewed an agreement for services with the State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutors Service for work on criminal court appeals; and allocated motor fuel tax funds for a portion of the County Engineer's salary and for work on county roads.

County Coroner Kim Rhodes said deaths in Effingham County in 2021 are up 78 from last year. Rhodes said that is due to COVID-related deaths being up 74 from a year ago.