The DeWitt County Board approved the contract with Paramedic Services of Illinois (PSI) to serve the County.

The contract was given to members of the Board who were able to look over it and ask questions of PSI representatives and DeWitt County State's Attorney Dick Koritz. DeWitt County Board Chair Melonie Tilley explains there were just a few things she and other Board members had questions on. The first was wording in the contract discussing enhancement of employee salaries. She explains the mutual feeling was there was no need for the County to determine salaries, so that paragraph was scratched.

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An article that needed clarification and was ultimately left in the contract regarded extra staffing for a special event. Tilley says the contract stated an additional fee to the subsidy PSI is receiving called for $25 per person per hour of staffing at the request of the County for "special duty detail". Tilley explains there is not anything they could come up with for a need for that, but Koritz advised the article be left in the contract.

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PSI is planning on taking over ambulance service in the County on December 1. PSI officials addressed the Board Thursday as well saying they feel good about where they are in the transition. They have been working with Dr. John Warner Hospital officials on leasing of their bay and house. Mike Hanson, President of PSI says things are going smoothly to this point.

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The DeWitt County Board put their 2013 budget on file for public viewing Thursday night, which will include the tax for the PSI subsidy. Tune in to Regional Radio tomorrow for what the tax rate will be for residents of DeWitt County that fall into the coverage area of PSI.