News

Illinois Board Considers Levy For Ambulance Service

Kevin Barlow

12/03/2011

Dec. 02--CLINTON -- A proposed referendum to establish a levy to pay for an ambulance service for Clinton and DeWitt County will be considered by the DeWitt County Board later this month.

All proposed referendums must be approved by the County Board before they can be placed on the ballot. Last week, the board voted to approve the referendum, but DeWitt County State's Attorney Dick Koritz said the vote will have to be retaken.

"There are a couple of issues that need to be resolved," Koritz said. "There are fire districts that intrude the county from other counties and what we have to make clear is who is allowed to vote and who is not allowed to vote. Also, the vote to adopt the levy was made by motion and it has to be done through a resolution."

In October, the Dr. John Warner Hospital board voted to end emergency medical transportation after Dec. 31, 2012, in a 460-square-mile area around Clinton. Communities affected include Clinton, Wapella, Waynesville, Midland City, Hallsville, Lane, Weldon, Kenney and DeWitt. The Clinton Nuclear Plant and Clinton Lake are also in the coverage area.

If passed, the proposed levy would add up to an additional 25 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

Clinton Mayor Carolyn Peters, Dr. John Warner Hospital Administrator Earl Sheehy and Clinton Ambulance Service Manager Terrance Hubbard are researching potential solutions. Sheehy said the service costs an estimated $500,000 per year.

The ambulance referendum would be one of two referendums on the March ballot. The Clinton School District also has a planned referendum on the ballot; however, the tax rate would not change because a series of other bonds are due to come off the tax rolls.