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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 12.30.2003 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP DECEMBER 30, 2003 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Ken Olson at 6:34 p.m. on December 30, 2003. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: __ Lauren Van Roekel _x_ Doug Poehls (Vacant) x Mark Mace _x_ Gay Easton x Daniel Dart __ Dan Mears _x_ John Oakes OTHERS PRESENT: Jan Faught Dick Fritzler Stev, e Klotz Sam Painter Larry McCann Keith Molyneaux Public Input (three-minute limit) Citizens may address the Council regarding any item of City business not on the agenda. The duration for an individual speaking under Public Input is limited to three minutes. While all comments are welcome, the Council will not take action on any item not on the agenda. · None Ambulance Department Repeater stations for ambulance and fire department · Draft resolution for two repeater stations was distributed to the council. · The 12/30/03 proposal from Industrial Communications is for $12,200 if ordered in January 2004. · With two additional repeater stations located at the tower, the police department's lease from ICELAND would be lowered from $150 per month to $100 per month. · Police, fire, and ambulance would each pay $100 per month. AMR billing issue · Jan Faught distributed the following information regarding the issue: o Summary of the events from 1998 to the present o August 27, 2003 letter from AMR o Minutes from the November 12, 2003 meeting with AMR. o Copies of the information are attached to these minutes. · Discussion regarding the issue, which began in 1998. · Discussion regarding the need for an ALS service in Laurel. · Mark Mace suggested including an article to explain the ambulance services (BLS and ALS) in the next issue of the Laurel City Voice. Council Workshop Minutes of December 30, 2003 · Sam Painter stated that the city request AMR to submit a contract for review. · Mayor Olson stated that legal aspects are involved and the issue would require more review. Public Utilities Department MRL Lease from Dean Rankin · Lan2/talked with Gus Byrom, who wants the city to prepare a proposal to use the CDBG Grant money. o Mr. Byrom said that demolition of structures is a viable use for community development. · $30,000 is available from a CDBG Grant from several years ago. o The $15,000 needed for the lease money would come out of those funds. o If it is not approved, the council will have to decide where to go from there. · Rocky Smith thinks that some grant money would be available for demolition of the buildings once the city has possession of the property. · Mayor Olson stated that funding would be available through one of the line items in the audit report from Olness that requires the city to put $30,000 back in the General Fund. o Mayor Olson talked to Brent Olness, who said that the money could be put in the General Fund and not earmarked. · Discussion regarding condemnation of property. o Should be abatement of dangerous buildings. · Discussion regarding the timeline on the stoplight at Main and 1 st Avenue. o An additional left turn lane cycle will be added to the existing stoplight. o Should be done next summer. Community Development Block Grant Contract for Public Facilities Projects · The $500,000 CDBG Grant has been awarded. o The State of Montana has not yet received the money from the Federal government · City of Laurel had to provide $268,000 in matching funds. · Engineering is being done now for that project, as we are getting the surveying done on the Alder Avenue sewer. o City will dig on the railroad sewer line to find out what is causing a blockage. · City intends to bid the project next month. o The work would be done in March o Payment would be made in April. o City will then apply for a TSEP Grant of $500,000. · Larry will keep the council informed regarding the wastewater grant, the water facility plan, and the TSEP Grant for wastewater. · Project does not include about $300,000 of Phase I of the Wastewater Facility Plan. · A proposal will be brought for the council's consideration by the end of February. o The sewer plant is entirely paid offnow. o Morrison-Maierle and Larry have looked at the options. o A sewer rote increase is needed. o Larry said that $250,000 is needed every year to replace pipes and make the needed repairs to the system. 2 Council Workshop Minutes of December 30, 2003 o The $2.8 million loan could be done in order to complete all three phases of the project. o Every grant received lowers that cost, but matching funds must be provided by the City of Laurel for work in the ground. o City can apply for two more grants with the studies. · Another needs assessment will need to be completed in order to make more grant applications. Public Works Department Eighth Avenue Project - storm water · Steve Klotz reviewed the 8th Avenue Project. · Steve explained the urban routes, urban funds, and the storm water issue. O 8th Avenue and West Railroad Street both need total reconstruction. · Montana Department of Transportation is asking the City of Laurel to allow them to use urban funds on the design for the storm water issue that would result from the 8th Avenue Project. o The State's proposed concept of diverting the 30 cfs into the pond is to reduce the State's liability. o Steve suggested that the city might not want to commit to this proposal. o Steve explained the maintenance problem that would result from this proposal. · Highway Commission will meet in February. o City of Laurel is on the agenda for additional funding to maintain o Steve wants to address City of Laurel issues at the meeting. Mold update · Steve reviewed the events of the mold issue in the court building. · State did follow-up tests recently. · On Monday, Judy Murphy reported that all the tests are at the same level or higher. · Steve will contact Northern Industrial Hygiene regarding the situation. · All the requirements were met by the city, and there is no explanation for the higher levels. Fire Department Update agreement for Rural Grass Fire with Yellowstone Coun .ty · Agreement needed further review and was not presented to the council. Executive review · Mayor contacted Local Government Center regarding the retreats scheduled for January 17th and 24th. · The January 17th meeting will address protocols, the CIP, and goal setting for the council. · The January 24th meeting will incorporate goal setting and get input from the department heads. · Meetings are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Super 8 conference room, and breakfast will be catered. Council Workshop Minutes of December 30, 2003 Joint Meeting City of Laurel needs to host a joint meeting with the City of Billings, School District No. 2, and Yellowstone County. · School District No. 7 will also be invited. · Tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 12th at DJ's Restaurant. · The Ward 2 council vacancy will be advertised in the Laurel Outlook. Resolutions: · Resolution accepting the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Facilities Grant award and authorizing the Mayor to sign any and all documents associated with said grant. · Resolution authorizing the Mayor to purchase two repeater stations. Announcements · None Attendance at the January. 6, 2004 council meeting · All councilmen will attend. · Swearing in ceremony for Dick Fritzler, Gay Easton, Mark Mace, and John Oakes Other items · Nolle The meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen Council Secretary NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion of the Council for the listed workshop agenda items. 4 Laurel Volunteer Ambulance 215 W 1~t Street Laurel MT 59044 406-628-1611 Council Workshop December 30, 2003 AMR Billing HX - Meetings were held in 1998 to discuss paying Medtrans for intercepts because of the pending change in Medicare rules. The change in the Medicare rule was to only pay the transporting Ambulance Service. The difference between charging a Medicare Patient at a BLS rate and charging at an ALS rate was right at $100. The discussion we had ended up with a verbal agreement between Laurel and Medtrans that they would be paid $70 plus their medications per intercept one we were paid for the transport. There was subsequent discussion on some of the charges Medtrans usually charged but Medicare did not approve them. A contract was drawn up by Joe Bradley, the current City Attorney, and sent to Medtrans. We had no more contact with them on this issue. After the Medicare rule went into effect another copy of the contract was mailed to them. This was approximately the same time that Medtrans was taken over by AMR. No other communication was made. The City set up an account at that time putting away $75 per intercept plus medications when Medicare paid us. Current: August of 2003 we received bills for all Patients that AMR intercepted with a charge of $160 per Patient. We received bills every 2 to 3 months. I received phone calls from Suzie Roberston, Director of Patient Business Services, in Portland, Billings' regional office. I referred her to Cathy to discuss billing issues but she stated she would not call her. The attached letter was sent the end of August. I called Allen Bergemann, Director of Operations, Billings, to set a meeting date. The meeting was finally set for November 12. Suzie had agreed to push back the Sept 10 deadline in the letter. Minutes of the meeting are also attached. There has been no further contact made with Suzie or Alien regarding this issue. PARAMEDIC AND NON EMERGENCY August 27, 2003 Jall Fanght Laurel Ambulance 215 W First Street Laurel, MT 59044 RE: Payment for Paramedic Intercept Services Dear Ms. Faught: In June of 2002, American Medical Response went through some internal change and the ambulance billing and collection functions for Montana were transferred from our office in Aurora, Colorado to Portland, Oregon. Since June 1~t, we have been billing your agency $160 per paramedic intemept provided. Each month we have sent an invoice requesting payment and to date, we have not received a single payment from your organization. From June 2002 to July 2003, we have responded and provided paramedic assist services 189 times, totaling $30,240~ The usual and customary fee for these services equals $64,584.97. We have attempted to resolve this issue with your agency on a number of occasions. I have made numerous calls and Allen Bergamann; AMR Operations Manager for Montana has also attempted to set up a meeting to discuss the issue. To date, your agency has failed to respond. This is our formal request for the $30,240 that is due. If this amount is not received by September 10, 2003, we will no longer extend a discount on our Paramedic service to your agency and we may explore alternative methods to recover the outstanding balance. Also note that if payment is not received, we will begin billing any paramedic intercept service we provide at our Advanced Life Support base rate fee of $533.83. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please don't hesitate to contact me at (503) 736- 3461. Sincerely, AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE · Suzie Robinson Director of Patient Business Services Cc Allen Bergeman, American Medical Response One S.E. 2nd Avenue · Porttand, Oregon 97214 1000. P.O. Box 15339 · Portland, Oregon 97293-5339 Oregon (503) 239 0389 · Vancouver, Washington (360) 256-8021 . Fax (503) 235-1365 MEETING WITH AMR NOVEMBER 12, 2003 OLD COUNCIL CHAMBERS A meeting between the City of Laurel and American Medical Response representatives was held at 1:30 p.m. on November 12, 2003 in the Old Council Chambers at City Hall. Attending were Allen Bergemarm and Suzie Robinson of AMR, and Jan Faught, Cathy Gabrlan, Dan Dart, and Mary Embleton of the City of Laurel. Ax°ter introductions, Mr. Bergemann stated that 2 basic issues needed to be discussed: I.) Past charges for AMR services rendered to the City of Laurel, and 2.) Development ora contract for future AMR services. AMP, provides time and resources for paramedic services for the Laurel Ambulance. In I998, the two entities held discussions for these services and drafted a contract. However, the contract was never executed by AMR. The main provisions were that AMR would charge $70 per intercept. This would be payable to ~ first, upon collection by the city. If the city was unable to collect, then AMR would not be paid. This last provision may be why the contract was never executed, according to Mr. Bergemann. He further stated that AMR is not willing to assume any risk, and that the intercept charge will apply irregardless of the ability of the city to collect the charges from clients. AMR claims they cannot bill for services if they are not the transporting agency. This is true for Medicare, and other federal agency health care plans. It is unclear if this is true for private pay insurance companies. Cathy stated that since 1998, she had assumed that AMR billed their own clients (except Medicare clients), when AMR provided paramedic intercept services. The city would only bill Medicare at the ALS (Advanced Life Service) rate when AMR assisted with the call. The Laurel Ambulance Service is licensed only for BLS (Basic Life Service). Mary asked if there is a legal mandate for the Laurel Ambulance Service to provide ALS, or if there is a legal mandate for AMR to respond and assist the Laurel Ambulance Service to provide ALS. Mr. Bergemann replied there is no legal mandate. Jan stated that the Laurel Ambulance Service wants to provide the best service available to the patient. However, there is sometimes confusion as to who should provide that service: AMR or Laurel. Co-dispatching situations, and protocol need to be addressed. AMR has sent invoices to the City of Laurel for paramedic intercept services since June of 2002. As of October 31~t, they have billed for 227 intercepts at $160.00 each for a total of $36,320. Mr. Bergemarm claimed that the $160.00 charge is their cost to Send their personnel out on a call. Discussion followed, mainly that the city feels this cost is too high, and was not billed out to the patient, and therefore, the city cannot pay. Ms. Robinson then offered to start with the $70/intercept as per the 1998 verbal agreement, increasing the fee by 3% per year. This would amount to $78.79/intercept for 2002, and $81.15/intercept for 2003. She produced a list of the 227 calls, and proposed dividing the list on a calendar year basis. AMR will not go any further back than June of 2002. This city will consider this offer. Regarding the future contract, several issues will need to be considered: · Determine whether the Laurel Ambulance Service wants to continue to use the ALS services provided by AMR, or simply provide BLS service. · Deterrnine whether the Laurel Ambulance Service wants to improve their level of service by becoming ALS certified. · If an agreement is drafted, will it be based on a per individual cost of $160, or on a monthly amount mutually determined and agreed upon. · Change the Laurel Ambulance Service to a Quick/First Response service, with AMR assuming the risks and transports, and reimbursing Laurel for the response servqce. It was understood that the city representatives would take the issues back to the mayor and council for consideration and discussion. A/vlR will be contacted soon to set up additional meetings to discuss how to proceed. The meeting ended at approximately 3:00 p.m. Respectively Submitted, Mary K. Embleton Clerk/Treasurer <~ SlleO ~odsue~l ~ ~