Life Line Memberships Approved For City Employees

City of Pineville employees and city council members can now rest assured that a Mercy Life Line helicopter can transport them in their time of need.

The Pineville City Council voted Tuesday night to support Life Line memberships for employees and fellow aldermen. The memberships, at $49 per person per year, cover any person living in that household, officials said. A life flight can cost up to $20,000, but the membership would cover the cost after insurance payments are deducted.

The membership will be offered as a benefit, officials said.

The helicopter may fly from Rogers, Ark., or Joplin, whichever is closest to the incident and available. Flight crews also will take the individual to a non-Mercy facility.

According to information provided by Mercy Life Line, the program has been accident-free since its inception in 1984. The Life Line is the only air ambulance service in the region equipped with instruments that allow helicopter personnel to fly in some weather conditions that others cannot.

During other discussion, aldermen mentioned that city workers did a great job in taking down two trees near the Pineville Community Center. Staff members also were commended for working hard at reducing water loss percentages, which now total just 8 percent.

In other business, aldermen agreed:

To support the Library Summer Reading Program;

Approved the bills of $21,483.82; and

That they will not meet for the regular March 13 meeting since the city clerk will be at a conference. Members, however, passed a motion that the city clerk can pay bills during that time.