VIENNA — The Maries-Osage Ambulance District (MOAD) Board has decided to delay for at least one year paying off the balance the district owes on the Freeburg Base.

At the MOAD Board’s November meeting, Administrator Brian Opoka asked the board what it wanted to do. Opoka detailed several large upcoming expenses.

At this time the district owes $22,974.45 on the Freeburg Base. At a recent meeting, the board members talked about paying it off to save on paying interest. The annual payment on the loan is $9,000.

Opoka said upcoming expenses include about $30,000 in March to pay for the Zoll cardiac monitors and the ventilators. Also, the new ambulance truck expected to be ready on December 9 will cost about $90,000. The plan is to use $63,000 from the ambulance fund and take $30,000 out of savings to pay for the new ambulance.

After some discussion, board member Victor Stratman made a motion to just make the regular payment of $9,000 this year on the Freeburg Base, Board Secretary Wilma Stephen gave the second and the board approved it.

In other business at the November board meeting:

• Opoka said the Vienna crew attended the health fair for about 25 minutes due to emergency calls that day. Francy Runge said they brought in some equipment and showed attendees how it worked.

• Opoka said CMS released a list of ambulance districts to do the cost reporting. The list represented about 25 percent of the ambulances services from all over the United States and MOAD was on the list. CMS is supposed to be sending out more information on the program. Opoka will come down and work with Office Manager Carla Butler to gather the information the district will need to report.

• The board approved using tier levels based on years of service to choose items gathered for the employees for Christmas. The tier levels are $100 for five or more years, $60 for two to five years, and $30 for zero to two years.

• Opoka reported on the CPR class at Linn Technical College. There were 62 students participating and they had a class in the morning and one in the afternoon. He said it went well. There were four instructors to help with the class. Opoka said he found out they thought the class was for two years but the type of CPR these students needed is only good for one year. He said he’ll reach out to the instructor and explain that to him.

• Opoka has found a medical director through Mercy who will not charge anything. It will require the district to attend monthly QA meetings in Washington. Mercy’s attorneys are looking over the contract and he hopes to have it returned by the December board meeting.

• Victor Stratman asked why the lawn care bill was for $175 and the check was for $100. Butler said they already paid him the $75 after last month’s meeting and it was sent to him later because of the meeting not being held n September. The board approved payment of the bills.

• In the financial statement, total income for October was $34,998.77 and total expenses were $43,826.35 for a net income of -$8,827.58.

Of the income, $211.55 was Maries County taxes, $29.61 was Osage County taxes, $18,594.39 was from service fees, $1,033. 01 was other, $97.98 was collection agency, $14,968.99 was sales tax, and $74.24 was from interest.

• In the third quarter financial review, Opoka said year-to-date budgeted revenue is $496,875 and actual year-to-date revenue is $517,565 for a positive revenue of $20,689.

Year-to-date budgeted expenses are $496,875 and actual year-to-date expenses are $553,101 for a negative expense of $56,226. Year-to-date budgeted revenue over expense is negative $7,000.

• Filing for election for a board member position opens Dec. 17 and closes Jan. 21. The board positions up for election are currently held by President Don Lanning in sub-district 2, Brinktown, and by Vice President Steve Maxwell in sub-district 5, Freeburg. Persons interested in serving on the board for a three-year term can file at the Vienna Base.

• Opoka said at the December board meeting the remainder of the people who made a donation toward the helipad have been invited for a meal that evening. Lanning asked the board if they would like to have meal every quarter at the board meeting and they agreed to this.

• Opoka said the district received the annual workman’s comp membership renewal. It is for $200 and is the same rate as last year.