Palmyra Twp.: Buyer interested in Lake Region EMS land, half-finished garage

Peter Becker, Tri-County Independent
·4 min read

There is an interested buyer for the Lake Region EMS land and half-completed ambulance garage on Gravity Road just beyond Hawley Borough limits, Palmyra Township (Wayne) solicitor Jeffrey Treat reported, after having spoken with attorney John Martin, who he said apparently represents the sale of the ambulance company property.

Treat stated he did not know the identity of the party interested in buying it.

Township supervisors discussed the possibility of reimbursement of expenditures related to their former primary emergency medical services provider at their Aug. 7 meeting.

A message left for Lake Region EMS inviting comment for this story has not yet been returned.

When the ambulance company closed in early June, it left behind their land, an unfinished 29x45-foot ambulance garage on Gravity Road, as well as a couple of ambulances and the construction trailer used for its office and crew room until the new building could be finished.

More: Lake Region EMS ceases operations in midst of new garage construction

Treat said that the state requires that after the sale of property by a nonprofit organization, proceeds go to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office for disbursement to other nonprofit entities, although the township is the host community.

"The sad part about it is by not coming to us as the host community, if there is going to be money generated and apparently there is a significant sales price, the bills will be paid and then the money will be disbursed, but where, who knows," Treat said. "... It would have worked out for us as a community... it could have stayed in the community as opposed to going somewhere else..."

He said he asked attorney Richard Henry, who is handling Lake Region EMS' financial matters, if the township would be reimbursed for almost $3,000 the township has spent.

The supervisors — Chairperson Pete Steffen, Joseph Kmetz and Stephen Bartleson — had agreed to pay a couple bills of Lake Region EMS since the company disbanded; bills from Case Tire and Honesdale Fire Equipment totaled $2,902.63. The township wants to recoup that expenditure. The township also contributed $5,000 to Lake Region EMS at the end of 2022, but Treat said he did not believe they would be able to recover that.

Treat related that attorney Martin said all bills are supposed to be paid.

Zoning Officer Paul Natale said the building inspector states the ambulance property has two open building permits. If the property is sold, the buyer would have to reapply and pay for permits needed.

The permit fees had been waived for Lake Region EMS, Natale said, because it is an ambulance company. One permit was for the ambulance garage, and the other was for the trailer.

The supervisors also unanimously agreed to revoke the two building permits, requiring the buyer to start over.

Lake Region EMS disbanded in early June 2023, two months after their new ambulance company headquarters had broken ground on Gravity Road, Palmyra Township, Wayne County. Pioneer Pole Building had not yet finished the 29 x 45-foot building. The property with its blue roof, is in plain view from Main Avenue, Hawley. Also left on the site is their former construction trailer that was used for the ambulance company office and crew room, and ambulances vehicles.

Lake Region EMS broke ground for its new headquarters next to the trailer in early April. By late April, the company, which supplied both Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) ceased answering emergency calls. In a letter dated June 1, Lake Region EMS announced its was disbanding, citing difficulty staffing and fiscal challenges.

The company took over from the former Hawley Ambulance & Rescue Company in early 2020, under new management. Lake Region EMS had been named primary responder in Palmyra that year, and later in Hawley Borough.

Fortuitously, Pennsylvania Ambulance started BLS/ALS service in the area on July 1, 2023, under an agreement with PPH (Paupack Palmyra Hawley) Ambulance, a joint venture of Paupack Township, Palmyra Township (Wayne) and Hawley Borough. The company, based in Dunmore, is stationing an ambulance at the Lakeville Fire Station, and an ALS "fast car" at Hawley Borough Hall. The "fast car" allows paramedics to meet the ambulance at the scene.

More: Regional EMS begins for Paupack and Palmyra townships, Hawley

The report from PPH starting July 1 shows that there were eight ambulance calls in Palmyra Township; seven were answered by Pennsylvania Ambulance and one was handled by White Mills Ambulance. Steffen said that there have been no complaints concerning Pennsylvania Ambulance's ability to respond to calls. He said they will be better able to review the ambulance company's performance in six months' time.

A Pennsylvania Ambulance "fast car" or "chase car" paramedic vehicle was seen at the Hawley Public Library parking area recently. An agreement has been reached with the company to serve as the BLS/ALS ambulance service for the adjacent municipalities of Paupack Township, Palmyra Township and Hawley Borough, Wayne County in full effect July 1, 2023. Each municipality has agreed to share in subsidizing the operations.

Other Palmyra Township matters

Stephen Bartleson was named at a special meeting in July to serve as supervisor, filling the vacancy created upon the resignation of Michael Hanf. Bartleson has been appointed as vice chairperson.

The treasurer's report for Palmyra Township listed $137,074.48 from the CARES Act, federal money approved by Congress in 2020 and distributed to aid in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The board agreed to allocate $8,000 of that money for two Taser guns for Hawley Borough Police, and to decide on a plan for an expansion of the township building to house their trucks, as well as repair the township parking lot.

Palmyra Township supervisors meet on the first Monday at 6:30 p.m. at 219 Oak St., Marble Hill.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Buyer interested in Lake Region EMS property, incomplete garage