News Topic - David Williams
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Beshear creates horse racing commission
Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed a commission to study the economic viability of Kentucky's horse racing industry.He signed an executive order on Thursday that also charged the commission to look at the effectiveness and quality of drug testing, the oversight of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the adequacy of state laws and regulations.Beshear said he also wants the panel to offer recommendations "that will help guide Kentucky horse racing to a more sound financial future."The governor had urged lawmakers earlier this year to approve a constitutional amendment to legalize casinos, some of which would have been opened at race tracks to generate revenue for the racing industry.Senate President David Williams said Thurday that some of the governor's appointees to the commission have already taken public stands in favor of casinos.
Kentucky.com – 22 hours, 25 minutes ago ¦ comment?
found in Local: Kentucky: Lexington
Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed a commission to study the economic viability of Kentucky's horse racing industry.He signed an executive order on Thursday that also charged the commission to look at the effectiveness and quality of drug testing, the oversight of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the adequacy of state laws and regulations.Beshear said he also wants the panel to offer recommendations "that will help guide Kentucky horse racing to a more sound financial future."The governor had urged lawmakers earlier this year to approve a constitutional amendment to legalize casinos, some of which would have been opened at race tracks to generate revenue for the racing industry.Senate President David Williams said Thurday that some of the governor's appointees to the commission have already taken public stands in favor of casinos.
Kentucky.com – 22 hours, 25 minutes ago ¦ comment?
found in Local: Kentucky: Lexington
Medstar: Cities need to pay more for ambulance service
BY MIKE LEE FORT WORTH -- Cities that use Medstar ambulances will have to pay more if they want to eliminate the slow response time and staff turnover that have plagued the agency for the past year, according to a report today from the agency's executive director and a consultant."I don't know what our subsidy needs to be, I can tell you it needs to be more than it is now," Medstar Executive Director Jack Eades said during a presentation to the Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday.Medstar has been under pressure since last fall because it failed to meet its standard of responding to the most urgent calls in less than 9 minutes, 90 percent of the time. At one point, Fort Worth firemen were riding with ambulances to help improve response times.Fitch and Associates, which specializes in emergency medical systems, has been studying the Medstar operation for several months. In addition to more funding, the system needs to work on its management structure to address morale and turnover among its paramedics and emergency medical technicians, consultant David Williams said. The turnover rate is about 30 percent annually, more than twice the rate in similar systems around the state, although Medstar recently granted big raises to its ambulance crews.Medstar, which serves 14 cities, is funded by a mix of user fees and city funding. Currently, seven of the 14 cities pay no subsidy to the system. The others pay between $1 and $4.50 per capita annually, with Fort Worth paying $1.90.Williams recommended that all the cities pay at least what Fort Worth does, and probably more. In the smaller, semi-rural cities in the region, it costs more to provide ambulance services because of the low call volumes and longer distances.Fort Worth's subsidy hasn't changed in about a decade, even though the cost of ambulance service has nearly tripled. As a result, people with private health insurance are paying more of the cost of the system. Eades said about 20 percent of the patients -- those with the ability to pay -- are paying 50 percent of the cost.Eades said he expects to have a new funding agreement in place with the cities by 2009.“Right now, if the subsidy remains the same, my only alternative is to raise the bill,” he said.
Star-Telegram.com – Jul 22, 2008 4:46 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Texas: Dallas-Fort Worth
BY MIKE LEE FORT WORTH -- Cities that use Medstar ambulances will have to pay more if they want to eliminate the slow response time and staff turnover that have plagued the agency for the past year, according to a report today from the agency's executive director and a consultant."I don't know what our subsidy needs to be, I can tell you it needs to be more than it is now," Medstar Executive Director Jack Eades said during a presentation to the Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday.Medstar has been under pressure since last fall because it failed to meet its standard of responding to the most urgent calls in less than 9 minutes, 90 percent of the time. At one point, Fort Worth firemen were riding with ambulances to help improve response times.Fitch and Associates, which specializes in emergency medical systems, has been studying the Medstar operation for several months. In addition to more funding, the system needs to work on its management structure to address morale and turnover among its paramedics and emergency medical technicians, consultant David Williams said. The turnover rate is about 30 percent annually, more than twice the rate in similar systems around the state, although Medstar recently granted big raises to its ambulance crews.Medstar, which serves 14 cities, is funded by a mix of user fees and city funding. Currently, seven of the 14 cities pay no subsidy to the system. The others pay between $1 and $4.50 per capita annually, with Fort Worth paying $1.90.Williams recommended that all the cities pay at least what Fort Worth does, and probably more. In the smaller, semi-rural cities in the region, it costs more to provide ambulance services because of the low call volumes and longer distances.Fort Worth's subsidy hasn't changed in about a decade, even though the cost of ambulance service has nearly tripled. As a result, people with private health insurance are paying more of the cost of the system. Eades said about 20 percent of the patients -- those with the ability to pay -- are paying 50 percent of the cost.Eades said he expects to have a new funding agreement in place with the cities by 2009.“Right now, if the subsidy remains the same, my only alternative is to raise the bill,” he said.
Star-Telegram.com – Jul 22, 2008 4:46 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Texas: Dallas-Fort Worth
Nighbert leaves job as Republican aide
Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert has left his position as an aide to state Senate Republican leadership for a private-sector job, Senate leaders confirmed Monday. Senate President David Williams said Nighbert left 10 days ago to take a consulting position. Nighbert was transportation secretary from 2005 to December 2007. Williams hired him in January to help the Burkesville Republican with transportation-related issues. Nighbert's attorney, Howard Mann, said Monday that his client had said the position with Williams was temporary. Mann confirmed last month that Nighbert had been asked to appear before a federal grand jury investigating improprieties in the Transportation Cabinet. Nighbert declined to testify, Mann said in June.
Kentucky.com – Jul 22, 2008 07:04 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Kentucky: Lexington
Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert has left his position as an aide to state Senate Republican leadership for a private-sector job, Senate leaders confirmed Monday. Senate President David Williams said Nighbert left 10 days ago to take a consulting position. Nighbert was transportation secretary from 2005 to December 2007. Williams hired him in January to help the Burkesville Republican with transportation-related issues. Nighbert's attorney, Howard Mann, said Monday that his client had said the position with Williams was temporary. Mann confirmed last month that Nighbert had been asked to appear before a federal grand jury investigating improprieties in the Transportation Cabinet. Nighbert declined to testify, Mann said in June.
Kentucky.com – Jul 22, 2008 07:04 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Kentucky: Lexington
Former Fletcher aide resigns post in state Senate
Bill Nighbert, a former state transportation secretary for former Gov. Ernie Fletcher, has resigned his post as a top aide in the Republican-controlled Senate.Senate President David Williams says Nighbert left his job as a top aide approximately 10 days ago. Williams says Nighbert was hired to work on transportation issues with the expectation only staying a short time.Federal investigators have been questioning former Transportation Cabinet employees as part of a possible criminal probe.Nighbert's attorney Howard Mann says Nighbert was only planning to work for the Senate during the legislative session.
Kentucky.com – Jul 21, 2008 9:36 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Kentucky: Lexington
Bill Nighbert, a former state transportation secretary for former Gov. Ernie Fletcher, has resigned his post as a top aide in the Republican-controlled Senate.Senate President David Williams says Nighbert left his job as a top aide approximately 10 days ago. Williams says Nighbert was hired to work on transportation issues with the expectation only staying a short time.Federal investigators have been questioning former Transportation Cabinet employees as part of a possible criminal probe.Nighbert's attorney Howard Mann says Nighbert was only planning to work for the Senate during the legislative session.
Kentucky.com – Jul 21, 2008 9:36 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Kentucky: Lexington
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