01/01/2025
50 YEARS OF SERVICE!
BIG THANK YOU TO ALL MAAR SUPPORTERS!
ATTENTION IRON COUNTY - MERCER - SHERMAN -OMA
On December 12th the Mercer Town Board Held a Public Hearing on the future of EMS.
I have attached the minutes -
I would first like to start off by saying that MAAR has been trying to negotiate a contract with the Town of Mercer since May 2024.
We did not refuse to give our financials to the Town. We refused to give our financials to the Town and walk away.
MAAR requested on multiple occasions to meet with the Town and work TOGETHER on a contract that works best for the communities.
Yes - MARR did refuse to give all our current volunteers names at this public hearing. The community knows our volunteers. Our new volunteers who have just started don’t need to be put in the spotlight. Our students do not need to be put in the spotlight.
The “New Service” named Rick Leisecki, Eric Snow, and in his words “A Nurse” as volunteers/employees
This meeting was almost two hours long. The minutes do not show nearly half that was discussed.
Absolutely nothing came out of this meeting-
The community got to witness a group of Fire Department members chant “kick him out” while another Fire Department member started yelling at a gentleman that spoke to the board and had to be stopped by a member of the community.
This is the department our Town Board has chosen to take on EMS -
The Chairman cut people off from talking if it did not meet his criteria-
Mercer Ambulance could not even finish talking -
Community opinion did not matter and it was made very clear-
The board could not give the community any answers other than the structure will stay the same - A structure they know nothing about
The community wanted answers and so did Mercer Ambulance!
When this meeting ended, a good portion of the community left and should have stayed for the regular meeting.
ITEM F will show $196,000 being moved over to general from infrastructure because the Treasurer did not have any money left to pay the general bills. This reserve account is drained. (Left out of minutes)
ITEM H - SCOT MADE THE MOTION TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITH MAAR - NO SECOND - MOTION FAILED-
DECEMBER 31ST WOULD BE MAAR’S LAST DAY DUE TO THIS MOTION
RICK BOES
MIKE LAMBERT
ERIC SNOW
-MADE THIS DECISION-
The Town Board had a few weeks to reach out to MAAR to negotiate contracting and did not.
MAAR cleaned out the Ambulance Barn December 31st -
We stood ready to take calls until midnight when all negotiations ended with the town.
We called the surrounding services to notify them of the Town Board decision.
At the stroke of midnight-
Iron County Sheriff’s department Eric Snow (chairman) accompanied by Fire Department member / Iron county board member Tanner Hiller, and Fire department member Shannon Hiller came into the ambulance hall saying nothing. Jumped into the Ambulances and drove off.
The video will be posted -
MERCER AMBULANCE & RESCUE IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN!!!
I spoke late last night with the medical director - he will continue directing MAAR.
We cannot force the Town of Mercer to negotiate and or contract with MAAR
HOWEVER- THEY ARE IN VIOLATION OF STATE STATUE
WHERE IS THIS NEW SERVICE??
The medical director has not spoken with the town in almost two months. Who is running this operation?
It was stated in the meeting that the service will be up and running in five days - that was weeks ago
The Town owns two empty Ambulances- no negotiations to purchase medical equipment or Rescue equipment with MAAR has taken place
Where is the money coming from for all this?
If you look back on the board minutes over the last year, you will see the mismanagement of LOSA costing the tax payers $85,000
2023 Assembly Bill 245 cost the tax payers $81,801 due to lack of filling out the paperwork - This money was directed towards Law Enforcement, Fire Protection, EMS Services, EMS Communications, Public Works, and Transportation. ( This money alone would have paid for MAARS contract plus more)
Town of Mercer has to hire a Fire inspector due to lack of inspections being done. This grant would cover that.
WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS TOWN ?
THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION!
