Babbitt’s ambulance department may see a financial boost from the Minnesota Department of Health’s new pilot program for non-transfer calls.
The program offers $9.2 million statewide in grants and will offer 15-40 awards to rural departments, each estimated within the $35,000 - $750,000 range. Grant agreements are anticipated to begin on Oct. 1.
Of the approximately 275 calls that Babbitt first responders respond to annually, assistant ambulance director Rebekah Littler estimates that about 25-30 are not transferred to a hospital.
Calls like these would previously not have been compensated, unlike transfers, which are billable by loaded miles.
“Not only is this going to get us payment for calls that we’re generally not paid for, it would allow us to add in some additional calls that don’t need to be transported, which is in the benefit of our patients,” Littler said.
The state will reimburse the Babbitt Ambulance Department at a per-call rate.
Littler said legislation is in the works that would allow departments to receive payment for no-transport calls. The new pilot program is a stand-in for potential future compensation.
The council added a special session next week to take another look at police salaries, with the potential to raise wages department-wide.
“We need to work with the union. We need to work with our current officers and find common ground. What will work for everyone to be happy pay-wise?” said council member Joe White. “I think the current rates that we have are not going to get us any more employees hired on.”
Council member Joe White said there is the potential to do so while still reducing overall expenditures, as the Babbitt Police Department will only need to pay four officers once fully-staffed, down from the five previously host ed by the department.
Just three officers currently work for Babbitt PD, meaning the department must pay for additional help. White said this has totaled to $83,000 — on top of what White called an exponential amount of overtime hours.
White said he would like to see the new wage go into effect as early as next week in order to advertise the department opening to poten- tial officers.
The council also heard concerns by resident Paula Shannon about water contamination in Shannon’s home.
The water at Shannon’s home on the south side of Babbitt became contaminated with manganese due to a faulty curb stop. Shannon said her water concerns have extended for over a year, but her neighbors have not been impacted.
“We no longer drink water from our home. We don't feel it's safe," Shannon said.
Shannon requested the city to conduct a targeted line flush or water quality testing in her neighborhood.
The public utilities commission (PUC) received notification of the
issue last October and ordered the replacement of the curb stop within three days of notification, at the commission’s expense.
Shannon said the sediment in her water caused damage to her plumbing, washing machine, and exterior water faucet.
Shannon reappeared before the commission in November, requesting they cover the cost of the damages. A claim was submitted to the League of Minnesota (LMC) Insurance Trust, but LMC refused to cover the expense, citing that the PUC had not been negligent.
The PUC moved to hire a licensed plumber to install and maintain a water filter at Shannon's home until the water cleared. The manganese was estimated to leave Shannon’s water in about six months with frequent filter changes.
Shannon appeared before the PUC in January to again request the commission to cover damages, as her homeowner’s insurance refused to cover the costs.
Powell recommended the council to put themselves on the PUC agenda, along with Shannon, to discuss next steps with the commission.
"The PUC holds the finances and the power, and they work with the state and the county on water regulations, so they know what’s in the parameters of what they can do," Powell said.
White and John Fitzpatrick will attend next week’s PUC meeting.
