By A. Marie Hamilton, Sidney Solar-Telegraph

CHEYENNE COUNTY – Cheyenne County Commissioners (CCC) voted to have the county legal professional and clerk instantly file RFPs for brand spanking new outpatient providers as he continues to work with Western Regional Emergency Medical Companies (RWEMS) to supply month-to-month providers in the meantime.

At its repeatedly scheduled assembly on Monday, Might 15, the CCC held a prolonged dialogue with numerous members of the county and Panhandle space’s Ambulatory and Emergency Administration Companies to debate the pending determination to terminate the contract between Sidney Regional West and the county to supply EMT Companies.

CCC Chairman Darrell Johnson, Vice Chairman Philip Sanders and Commissioner Randal Miller defined that Regional West Interim CEO Mel McNea’s determination to not renew the ambulance service was not primarily based on willful misconduct or another malicious determination, that the The hospital is required by legislation to inform the commissioners with a 60-day discover of intent to terminate the contract throughout the renewal time period.

This notification got here through a letter learn by Cheyenne County Clerk Beth Fiegenschuh on the Might 2 assembly of the CCC. The present settlement with Regional West expires July 1, and the commissioners have promised to behave at their subsequent repeatedly scheduled assembly on June 5, giving the county practically a month earlier than its present contract expires, to permit for a easy transition.

Then known as Memorial Well being Heart (MHC), Sydney Regional Medical Heart entered into an settlement with the Metropolis of Sidney and Cheyenne County to supply ambulance providers for each 9-1-1 providers and inter-facility transportation amongst regional hospitals in July 2002, as SRMC is the one Degree II trauma hospital west of Kearney within the Panhandle.

Nonetheless, it’s not solely Cheyenne County that’s affected by the choice to cease outpatient providers for its residents, different neighboring counties, comparable to Keith County, are additionally affected.

Miller stated the hospital’s subsequent board assembly shall be held this week and the commissioners count on the board to approve a month-to-month settlement with Cheyenne County because it searches for an acceptable alternative.

Inside hours of the commissioners assembly, Cheyenne County Legal professional Paul Schaub and Cheyenne County Clerk Fiegenschuh had despatched the required authorized discover to be revealed within the Sidney Solar-Telegraph which states:

“A: Emergency medical suppliers involved; RE: Request for proposal:

Cheyenne County Commissioners Request Proposals (REPs) for Emergency Transportation Companies.

If your organization is concerned about offering emergency transportation providers, we might welcome a proper proposal from you together with, however not restricted to:

Director and {qualifications}, firm historical past (years of operation, enterprise and/or company headquarters places), price to metropolis, county and hospital, present space(s) of service, and full checklist of the providers that will be offered to the Metropolis of Sydney and Cheyenne County.”

As well as, the Legal professional and County Clerk request letters of advice and reference, an inventory of communications and ambulance tools, present scope of providers, insurance coverage necessities, and knowledge on transition and implementation instances.

The commissioners and the RFP stated an up-to-date copy of the Emergency Medical Service Settlement between the county, the town of Sydney and the hospital is on file for inspection on the clerk’s workplace for the affected corporations.

On the Commissioners’ assembly, concerning the 911 supplier, was Sydney Metropolis Supervisor David Scott, who, after listening to from the various 911 suppliers current and the Commissioners’ explanations, stated: “I feel even that is the fitting manner”.

Including, “We might contemplate amending the settlement to incorporate an extended discover interval to assist with any future modifications and transitions.”

In responding to Scott, Miller stated he proposed permitting potential service suppliers to assessment the present settlement to supply a framework for the group to barter with the county and metropolis, however expects they’ll prolong the notification interval for stop comparable conditions sooner or later.

The chief govt of the hospital and interim emergency providers has not acknowledged publicly why he selected to chop ties together with his outpatient providers within the space, nevertheless, earlier tales from the Solar-Telegraph have revealed that rural outpatient providers are which have been empty for a number of years, with low funding, insufficient staffing ranges, restricted coaching, and different numerous finances cuts because of the financial downturn, which COVID-19 has fueled throughout the pandemic.

Sydney Regional Medical Heart CEO Jason Petik later stated the hospital will work with the county in each manner attainable to make sure a easy transition to a different service supplier.

Morrill County EMS Coordinator Shannon Odiet, who spoke earlier than the commissioners as each an EMT and a Sydney resident, instructed the commissioners it is essential to notice that present EMT workers continued to supply providers strictly “out of dedication to the neighborhood to have emergency providers – and I feel we want to bear in mind the dedication these individuals have for our neighborhood.”

Multiple unnamed EMT skilled was in attendance, and he acknowledged uncertainty as as to whether or not they’ll nonetheless have jobs on July 1 has quite a lot of nervous workers, nevertheless, they continue to be devoted to offering the county with excellent emergency providers.

To which, Miller responded by saying the commissioners are working to discover a service supplier within the close by Panhandle space who could be keen to rent present staff to proceed providers because the hospital’s outpatient service dissolves.

The commissioners additionally heard Cheyenne County Director of Tourism Kendra Mitchell submit three grants authorised by the tourism board earlier this month to be finalized by county commissioners.

The primary grant was $4,525 to be paid to the Cheyenne County Chamber for its free summer season music sequence in Hickory Sq.. In response to Mitchell, that is about $1,500 lower than the Home requested final summer season.

Additionally lowered from final 12 months, Mitchell filed with the commissioners a request for $3,200 from gold rush organizers, which he stated is bringing again some basic occasions that hadn’t beforehand been held lately, such because the gunslinging present, bus excursions to Sydney Boot Hill and the Fort Sidney Museum.

Lastly, Mitchell submitted a grant software from the Potter Carbowl for $5,000, which is up from final 12 months by which the village utilized for $4,000. Nonetheless, because of the recognition of the occasion, the tourism board authorised the request, pending approval from the commissioners.

In the end, the commissioners authorised all three of Mitchell’s tourism grants. A fourth grant, which was not introduced to the commissioners however was mentioned on the repeatedly scheduled tourism board assembly, shall be detailed in one other Solar-Telegraph story.

The county clerk has opened two sealed affords to buy a motor grader; one from Nebraska Equipment of Scottsbluff, which contained two affords for 2 totally different graders, and a second from the Murphy Tractor and Gear Firm of Gering, which additionally contained two affords for 2 totally different graders.

Nebraska Equipment supplied two Caterpillar graders, one model new for $341,890 and one other 2014 mannequin for $162,500. In the meantime, Murphy was providing two used John Deere items, each 2015s, for $145,000 and $142,000, respectively.