Rescue team again left off Linn sheriff's proposed budget

CEDAR RAPIDS - When Linn County supervisors approved funding for the sheriff's rescue division separately from the rest of the sheriff's budget, they warned it was a one-time solution.

Eight months later, Sheriff Brian Gardner plans to again ask supervisors to fund Rescue 57 separately.

"The public had an outcry when they found out the program was eventually going to be axed," Gardner said. "We should have an easier time."

"He's telling me it's not essential," said Supervisor Brent Oleson, R-Marion. "I support the need for some of those types of services, but you've got to make it work in your regular budget."

Gardner said he'll submit an "offer" next week to fund the rescue division during the supervisors' budget-writing process. Under the "budget for outcomes" philosophy adopted last year, each department head is given a target figure for their operating budgets. Department heads may then submit offers for additional projects or programs.

For the fiscal year starting next July 1, supervisors are allowing 2.3 percent growth for salaries and no change in operating budgets.

Last year, Gardner left Rescue 57 - the radio call sign for the three-member team - off his basic budget because it's not a state-mandated function. Supervisors initially left rescue funding off this year's $129 million budget, then voted to fund it with $300,000 with revenue raised through jail boarding charges and other fees - money supervisors would rather see go to the county's general fund.

Rescue 57 provides first-response emergency medical services to the county's rural townships. The unit doesn't transport injured patients but backs up volunteer ambulance services with paramedic specialists certified to diagnose injury and illness and administer medications and drugs.

Gardner, who said he's "had some very preliminary conversations with some of the supervisors" about funding Rescue 57 next year, said the fee-generated revenues are meeting its budget. He's scheduled to meet with supervisors Dec. 14 to discuss his budget and offers proposals.

Supervisors distributed $1.9 million in offers last year. Budget Director Dawn Jindrich said this round's offers fund won't be set until property tax valuations are finalized, probably next week.

Oleson said funding essential services "perverts the offers process," meant to support discretionary programs or efficiency upgrades.

"We've told everyone we do not want to see anything in the offer process that's essential," he said.

"I think generally the tenure of the board is that we would prefer that the offers not be for the basics," said Supervisor Linda Langston, D-Cedar Rapids. "I think we see Rescue 57 as something that should be funded. We funded it but we left it outside his budget, so I think we're going to have a discussion on this."

"I am somewhat disappointed to hear he's going to put it into an offer," said Supervisor Lu Barron, D-Cedar Rapids. "If the sheriff's going to put this in an offer, I'm just going to prioritize all those and we'll see how much we can do. I know it's extremely important to the people in the rural part of the county, but I have to weight it against other projects."

"He has so many things he needs to do that are mandatory," Supervisor John Harris, R-Palo, said of the sheriff's budget. "There just isn't any room in that normal budget."

Supervisor Ben Rogers said he'll try to get Rescue 57 into Gardner's regular budget.

"I'm going to work to get it back into the budget so it's funded year after year," said Supervisor Ben Rogers, D-Cedar Rapids. "This should not be an issue we have to revisit every year."

Rogers said that may require approving Rescue 57 as an offer this year, rewriting the sheriff's budget to cover it in future years.

"I think there's ways we can structure this to get it permanently into the budget," he said.