NEBRASKA CITY – Paramedic Manager Andrew Snodgrass told city commissioners Monday that the rescue department is reporting increased revenue since it took over internal billing in October.

He said the rescue squad is averaging about $50,000 per month in revenue.

Snodgrass: “We’re about about 10 percent higher month than we were previously, when we were with the third-party billing agency.”

Snodgrass said the in-house billing, which involves office help from paramedic Joe Grubbs and staff at city hall, is more prompt and payments are being better tracked.

Interim City Administrator Marty Stovall recognized Lonnie Horstmann upon his retirement as street department foreman.

Stovall: “We wanted to bring Lonnie forward and truly thank him for his years of service to the city, six of those years as a street foreman. It’s a tasking position. He served the city well and we appreciate everything that he has done.

"A lot of time it’s thankless work, but Lonnie has always served the city with great attitude. There is no job too small or too large, he’s always just take it head on.”

Troy Watkins, who has been with the department seven years, was promoted to foreman.

Beth Williams, fiscal manager at Blue Rivers Area Agency on Aging, asked the city for a letter of support in the agency’s application for a transportation grant.

She said the total costs for the agency’s core programs are comparable to the cost for a single person to stay at a nursing home.

 Williams: “I don’t think you have half the people that could take advantage of it, taking advantage of it. If you add up just the meal program and the transit program and some of the care management programs … If a person goes into a nursing home, they are going to spend probably at least $81,000 a year and, just so far this year, all of the services we are providing that help keep people in their homes, is costing $81,000.”

Blue Rivers Area Agency on Aging is required to get matching support from the communities it serves for the Department of Transportation grant.

City commissioners also declared a house at 516 N. 13th St. as unsafe.

Building Inspector Keith Morrison said the property owners have not responded to a city letter asking for an action plan to improve the property.

The city appointed Perry Mader as city administrator. He is expected to begin work April 10.