The Pella City Council is scheduled to discuss options as it relates to ambulance service outside of the Pella city limits at their meeting Tuesday during policy and planning.

In a memo issued to council in this week’s agenda, the council will receive details about a current 28E agreement with rural entities that receive EMS response from the city-run department.

According to the document, Pella city administration reports they are subsidizing $100,776, and received $46,000 from Lake Prairie in the current fiscal year, which is set to end June 30th.

“The current payment from Lake Prairie of $46,000 was not intended to fully reimburse the City of Pella for providing ambulance service. Rather it was a good faith effort by the City of Pella to provide the service until Marion County voters could consider an essential services tax referendum,” the document read.

Due to the vote on a potential county essential services tax now taking place likely in March of 2025, the city has offered to extend the current deal one more year until a new funding formula could be considered by voters. However, the Lake Prairie Fire District informed city administration they will not be able to pay due to equipment needs for the Pella Rural Fire Department.

The city has countered, claiming the township does have the resources available to afford another $46,000 payment. In the memo to council, staff detailed that the city provides dispatch services to the township, with 10% of their calls coming from the area, and also mentioned the current fire station downtown houses all rural fire vehicles, and receives $2,900 from the township for water provided for rural calls.

While this unfolds, the city is awaiting a consultant’s report about ambulance operations, which they believe will be completed before July. Currently, the city projects a $900,000 deficit for ambulance services in fiscal year 2025.

In the council agenda, city administration provides three options for council to consider if Lake Prairie doesn’t come up with a payment for the next year — provide ambulance services without a subsidy, do so on an availability basis — thus, requiring support from nearby dispatch and ambulance services, or choose not to respond to those calls — the last option, “staff would not recommend this option.”

Based on the memo, the council is being encouraged by city staff to establish a July 2nd deadline for the Lake Prairie Fire District to send any revised proposals, delay making a decision until the July 16th meeting, and allow the city administration to enter into negotiations about rental rates for storage of rural fire vehicles and reimbursement of water rates.

No formal action will be taken Tuesday, but extensive discussion is scheduled to begin after the 6 p.m. regular session in the Pella Public Safety Complex.