The Hastings City Council approved a five year renewal of an agreement with BIRCH and Mercy Ambulance, which expires in June, 2017. BIRCH Rural Fire Association consists of the City of Hastings and Baltimore, Irving, Rutland, Carlton and Hastings townships.

Rod Palmer, chief operating officer of Mercy, has been with the ambulance service for 33 years. He said the terms and conditions are the same as the previous contract, with no subsidies from the city.

Because of increases in the numbers of clients, the service has been able to keep up its obligations to its staff and make improvements despite no increase in payments from Medicare for five years, Palmer said. He said he appreciated the confidence the city has in the service and the support from Hastings Fire Chief Roger Caris. “We have a great relationship with the townships,” he added. The BIRCH Rural Fire Association also recommends that the five townships renew their agreements.

In other business Monday, the council had the first reading of an amendment to the Joint Planning Commission zoning ordinance that adds the third Urban Service District to the ordinance, and approved the third Urban Services and Economic Development Agreement and an escrow agreement to hold the USEDA until Rutland Township constructs the necessary infrastructure.