(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met in a special session Tuesday morning, in Harlan. During their session, the Board held a public hearing on a proposed Shelby County Stream Mitigation ordinance. Auditor Mark Maxwell noted in his minutes of the meeting that no public comment made in-person, or had previously been received by the Auditors office. Maxwell explained the intention of the ordinance is to make it allowable for Shelby County to sell flood mitigation credits and recognition of that practice possibly being in competition with private entities. The Ordinance was unanimously approved as written.

The Shelby County Supervisors also held a Public Hearing with regard to a proposed Resolution declaring Emergency Medical Services (EMS) an essential service in Shelby County. The Resolution allows for voter approval of a Local Option Income Surtax and an “Ad Valorem property tax not to exceed 75-cents per $1,000 of assessed value on all taxable property within the county,” to be imposed after an election, during which 60-percent of those voting on the question of imposing the tax or combination of taxes, vote in favor of the question. The Resolution specifies the establishment of an EMS System Advisory Council comprised of several members from law enforcement, the Mayor and/or Council, and others.

Auditor Maxwell says several people spoke during the hearing. Among them was:

• Alex Londo, Shelby County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator, spoke of the need of funded EMS in Shelby County. Londo noted that the Iowa legislature has created legislation to guide Counties through this process.
• Jordan Sanders, Shelby County Assistant EMA Coordinator noted that Volunteerism is down nationwide and cities in Shelby County with volunteer ambulance service have issues with staffing and having volunteers available at all times. Sanders told the Supervisors that when the private company that now serves Shelby County, and stops service, there will be a need for county officials to fill this need.
• Barry Jacobsen, Shelby County Myrtue Memorial Hospital Administrator, recommended that EMS be declared an essential service and that the current ambulance commission is seeing a shortage of EMTs and rising costs are not generating the revenue needed by these services.
• Roger Bissen, Chief of the Harlan Fire Department, mentioned that fire departments have a funding stream and have had for years. EMS needs a revenue stream soon and that Shelby County should stay on top of this and declare EMS as an essential service to County residents.
• Tim Plumb, veteran EMT from the City of Irwin, spoke and said he has been an EMT for 25 years, the City of Irwin once had 18 volunteers and is now down to 4.
• Gene Gettys, Harlan City Administrator, supported all previous comments, and added that the emergency medical services field has changed in the last few years in Shelby County. Also placing this issue on an election ballot and successfully getting the ballot measure passed will require educating voters on the issue at hand.
• Jenny Lefeber Shelby County Myrtue Memorial Hospital Emergency Room coordinator shared concerns that the ability to transport patients will be lost in Shelby County, if the current private ambulance service shuts down and no Countywide ambulance service has been created.
• Janice Gaul echoed the common theme of Countywide EMS service being needed as the ambulance in Earling is all volunteer.
• Neil Gross, Shelby County Sheriff, also spoke and made a point that a centralized ambulance staffing and service is needed.

A motion to adopt the Resolution was passed as presented. Discussion and explanation of a waiver to be considered was then heard. The waiver allows attorneys from the same law firm to work, if necessary, on a law enforcement agreement between Shelby County Iowa, and the City of Harlan. The waiver is needed in the event Attorneys from this firm are needed to complete any discussion or agreements in the future between these two parties in this exploratory matter. A motion to allow the Chairperson to sign the waiver was seconded and passed unanimously.

Auditor Maxwell says the proposed pipeline interests of Shelby County were presented, dates are closer to being set for litigation. Some schedule Iowa Utility Board rulings are expected soon. Kossuth County has joined the joint representation agreement with other counties expected to join. He said also that Chairman Kenkel notified the public that Shelby Counties Zoning Ordinance has been in effect since November 11th and that anyone entering into agreement with a hazardous pipeline company in Shelby County must get a conditional use permit from the Shelby County Zoning Commissioner, Tony Buman.

Kenkel also brought up that in 2002 the County had the Public Measure to go to a 5 member Board of Supervisors, the measure failed with it receiving only 26% of the vote in favor.