Caledonia Argus

Ambulance co-director to resign

Posted: 6/1/04

By Jane Palen
Managing Editor

The Caledonia City Council is weighing its options for management of the ambulance service.

At its May 24 meeting, the council learned that co-director Mary Bubbers will be leaving her position June 30 to return to school.

Members of the council indicated that Bubbersís resignation may be an opportunity to save some money. The service has been losing money due to low Medicare reimbursements. The council will explore different avenues, such as having an outside agency handle billing.

Cost-sharing policy requested

In other news, the council heard from John Esch and Fred Kruckow of MaCal Developers who asked the council to come up with a policy regarding the sharing of costs of development.

The issue arose because of an agreement the city made with Bluff Country Properties, developers of Doering Estates, to loop the water mains in that development to one at the Northwest Corner of the Alco building rather than dead-ending it at a cul de sac in the development, which is what the original plan called for. The city said it would pick up the additional cost.

Speaking for MaCal Developers, Fred Kruckow told the council that when the MaCal land west of highway 44 was being developed, that a water main was brought in under the highway from the Foltz addition to Esch Drive and then west to connect it with another main coming in from the south, forming a loop.

ìTony [Klug of the city water department] said you need to loop the water for fire protection,î said Kruckow. ìWe asked the city for help and they said no. We had to go into the Foltz addition at our own expense. The city has offered to loop the water for Doering Estates and the school and youíre going on private property, Itís not part of your responsibility to go on private property.î Kruckow said that he didnít have firm figures on what it cost to make the loop for the water main, but noted that it cost at least $10,000 to bore under the highway to accomplish it. He said that the city should pay expenses of Ma Cal Developers as well.

Mayor Robert Burns explained that the difference is that the developer didnít need the loop to provide service, but is doing so at the request of the city to provide better service.

Kruckow said he thinks the loop is a good thing, but that the developers should pay. He suggested that the city adopt a policy so that all developers are treated the same.

No one on the council could recall the rationale in the decision to have Ma Cal pay for the loop into its development. Burns said he would research the matter to see what went into the decision.

Deck application approved

The council approved a zoning application for Matt Morey for a deck that has already been built. Mayor Burns told Morey that had there been complaints, he may have been compelled to remove the deck.

The city will hold a special meeting on June 7 to discuss any issues that may arise regarding the sesquicentennial.

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