Delaware County Board of Supervisor narrowly approve ambulance contract

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·4 min read

Oct. 26—Six months after approving a paid ambulance service, the Delaware County Board of Supervisors almost rejected the three-year contract with American Medical Response during its Wednesday, Oct. 26, meeting.

The county Public Safety Committee and Attorney Amy Merklen and AMR have been negotiating the contract ever since the April 27 meeting. Committee Chair and Andes Town Supervisor Wayland "Bud" Gladstone brought the resolution to accept the two-year contract to the floor for a vote.

Franklin Town Supervisor Jeffrey Taggart said he would like to give the money to the presenters at the April meeting, who said they could set up a paid service within three months. At the April 27, meeting Richard Strasser of the Franklin-Treadwell Fire District, Ray Baker of the Sidney Emergency Medical Services, Jim Rotzler of the Town of Hancock Ambulance and attorney Terry Hannigan, who helped Hancock set up its service and is helping to set up the service in the towns of Harpersfield, Stamford and Kortright, spoke about setting up a countywide ambulance service.

Hancock Town Supervisor Jerry Vernold also said he would like to see what a committee would come up with.

Davenport Town Supervisor Dennis Valente said he wasn't going to vote for the contract and was going to introduce a resolution to rescind Resolution No. 75, which was passed in April. He also asked if the contract was for two years or three years, as the resolution said two years, but the contract itself said three years.

Merklen looked over the contract and said it was a three-year contract, so a motion was made to amend the resolution to state the contract will be from Dec. 1, 2022 through Nov. 30, 2025. AMR will receive $1.9 million this year and $1.995 million the second year. The third year it would raise 5%. County supervisors approved using $1.5 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds to help pay for a backup ambulance service during its March 9 meeting.

"The only thing we're voting on today is the extra $95,000," Hamden Town Supervisor Wayne Marshfield said.

However, what happens next in regards to ambulance service in the county was discussed.

"We talked about this in April, Bud, and your comment persuaded me to vote yes," Walton Town Supervisor Joe Cetta said. "I voted yes with the full understanding this is just a Band-Aid until we figure out whole county coverage. How far are you with this plan?"

Gladstone responded the committee hadn't started yet because it needs data from the contract and all of the volunteer and paid agencies in the county.

Cetta said since the meeting in April, United Health Services has contracted with Ambulnz to provide hospital transports to larger hospitals and the company also responds to the towns of Walton, Tompkins and Hancock as mutual aid for volunteer fire departments.

Cetta asked Gladstone when the Public Safety committee would have a plan in place. Gladstone deferred to Director of Emergency Services Steve Hood. Hood said when the county started looking for ways to solve the problem, the Finance Committee said it didn't want a countywide ambulance service. A request for proposal for the countywide service was requested and only AMR submitted a proposal, he said.

AMR and Ambulanz are the only two companies that can cover the whole county with service as they are the only two that have submitted a certificate of need with the state Department of Health, he said. Sidney Town Supervisor Eric Wilson said Sidney EMS has submitted the application but hasn't heard back from the state.

Taggart asked that a subcommittee of interested supervisors and people with experience setting up an ambulance service be formed to tackle the problem.

The vote was split. Valente, Delhi Town Supervisor Mark Tuthill, Tuthill, Vernold, Wilson and Tompkins Town Supervisor William Layton voted no. Gladstone, Bovina Town Supervisor and Board Chair Tina Molé, Colchester Town Supervisor Art Merrill, Deposit Town Supervisor Thomas Axtell, Marshfield, Harpersfield Town Supervisor James Eisel, Kortright Town Supervisor George Haynes, Masonville Town Supervisor Betty Scott, Meredith Town Supervisor James Ellis, Stamford Town Supervisor John Kosier and Cetta voted yes. Middletown Town Supervisor Carl Davis and Roxbury Town Supervisor Allen Hinkley were absent.

Molé said the resolution failed. However, Board Clerk Christa Schafer, redid the math twice and Molé announced the weighted vote was 2,100 yes, and 2,074 no.

Valente then introduced a resolution to rescind Resolution No. 75 that was passed in April and Resolution No. 196, that was just passed by the board. The results were the opposite, with 2,074 yes and 2,100 no.

In addition to approving the ambulance contract, the board approved Economic Development Director Glenn Nealis as the certifying officer for the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds. The county was awarded $941,175 to help small businesses that were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nealis said the funds will help between 30 and 35 businesses with fewer than 25 employees in the county.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.