Ambulance services frustrate HMC, Ferrell administrators

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Administrators from both county hospitals approached the County Board for help on solving the continuing problem with patient transfers.

Vincent Ashley, chief executive officer of Harrisburg Medical Center, and Bill Hartley, CEO of Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado, agreed getting patients to other hospitals for critical care is a growing problem. It often takes two hours to get a patient from a county hospital to a bigger hospital because local ambulances cannot respond.

The problem has caused an increase in the use of emergency helicopters by Ferrell and HMC.

"When we can't get an ambulance, we call a helicopter, which costs $10,000 to $12,000," Ashley said.

Ashley and Hartley said the local ambulance services are doing what they can, but emergency calls can tie up the services and transfers between hospitals have to wait.

The problem has led to bad consequences. Board Secretary Helen Dunn's daughter was in need of emergency gall bladder surgery. She was taken to HMC and transport to a Paducah hospital was requested at 8 a.m. An ambulance didn't become available until 4 p.m. Her daughter died of complications from the emergency, Dunn said.

There are several options that can be explored, both men said. One option is putting a referendum approving a subsidy of some sort on the ballot at the spring election.

Board Chairman Jim Fowler plans to appoint a committee to work with the administrators toward a solution to the problem.

Concealed carry

County voters will get to voice their opinions at the November ballot on whether Illinois residents should be able to carry concealed firearms.

County Clerk Willie McClusky presented the non-binding referendum, which was quickly approved. The referendum, which would urge the General Assembly to adopt some sort of concealed-carry legislation, originated in Winnebago County.

"To tell you that I am very passionate about the Second Amendment would be an understatement," McClusky said.

Illinois is one of only two states that does not have a concealed-carry provision on the books.

A "yes" vote in November would not pass concealed-carry in the state or the county -- it would only voice the county's opinion to the legislature.

Treasurer's report

The board learned some good news from Treasurer Danny Ragan. Arclar Coal Company has started mining in an area owned by the county.. The county collected about $150,000 from the company so far this year, Ragan said. Last month, the county collected about $39,000.

The county has about 300 acres of coal in the eastern portion of the county, McClusky said.

"Some of it we own half of, some of it we own all of," McClusky said.

Ragan is not yet sure how long the windfall will last. McClusky and Ragan may talk to Arclar officials to get a better idea of how much royalty the county can expect.

Overall, county receipts are running higher than expected and expenses are lower than expected, Ragan said. Ragan estimated a positive balance of $210,000 at the end of this month.

During the meeting:

-- A first-reading of an ordinance was passed raising election judges' compensation $20 to $115 per election, or $125 for judges who take the county clerk's class. The ordinance will be read again at the September meeting, where final passage is expected.

The raise is mandated, and subsidized, by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

-- Fowler made several appointments: Bob Oglesby was reappointed to a one-year term on the Shawnee RC&D board; Joe Bramlet was reappointed to the Eldorado Drainage District for a three-year term; Winona Alvey was reappointed ot the Black Branch Drainage District for a three-year term; Marvin Teckenbrock was appointed ot the Public Building Commission for a five-year term; Otis Reynolds, Ollie Brown and Beverly Sanders were appointed ot the Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning Commission board for three-year terms; and Gene Lyon was appointed to the Coleman Tri-County Board for a one-year term to replace Mary Lynn Beggs.

-- Karen Barnhill was appointed chairwoman of the County Board Audit and Inventory Committee to replace Ryan Lambert. Lambert has not attended a meeting in several months.