Council approves extended emergency services agreement with Southwest Health and raises ambulance service fees

The Common Council authorized the City Manager to execute an extended emergency services agreement with Southwest Health and approved increased ambulance-service fees to help stabilize service finances.

City staff member Clint reviewed the proposed agreement, which would extend through 2034 and include a right of first refusal should Southwest cease providing services. Staff said past operating deficits had been absorbed by Southwest and that adjusted rates and an updated annual support-fee design aim to move operations to a net-zero financial position.

Under the proposal, staff recommended increasing ambulance-service fees collected through utility billing to raise approximately $70,000 annually. The proposed per-utility charges would change for commercial/industrial/public-authority accounts from $10 to $15.37 per month, and for residential/multifamily from $1.42 to $2.19 per month; the council approved the recommendation.

A council motion to authorize the city manager to sign the agreement and to implement the new monthly fees passed. Staff said the change is intended to spread emergency-service costs across utility accounts for participating municipalities and to maintain coordinated emergency medical services in the region.

Council members asked for copies of the existing and proposed agreements (one councilmember had requested the original agreement before the vote). Staff said the packet included the proposed agreement and that copies of prior documents had been provided on request.