Should we stay or should we go? Bucyrus City Council still pondering ambulance service issue

By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter

After another long debate during the Bucyrus City Council’s Health and Safety Committee meeting Thursday evening, the issue of whether or not the city should leave the Central Joint Ambulance District and secure its own ambulance service will be left up to the full council at the next meeting April 3.

Mayor Jeff Reser said the city is not proposing that the city completely take over emergency medical services for city residents.

“Our proposal is to put an EMS contract out to bid for the city in 2018,” Reser said. “The length of the contract is to be discussed and specifications would be put into the bid packet that would allow the fire department to be the backup 911 ambulance for the city.”

The fire department currently works as a backup to Life Support Team EMS, the district’s current ambulance service provider.

“We would be the back up to an EMS provider contracted by the city,” Reser said. “This will allow us to buy much-needed equipment and also allow us to reduce our risk exposure by staying in the ambulance district.”

In a report Reser presented last week to the committee, he said the power as a member of the CJAD is skewed against city residents.

“We represent half the population in the ambulance district, but have just one vote out of 16,” Reser said. “We bring in a majority of the revenue, but would have to bear nearly 50 percent of any subsidy that may be agreed upon by the members, which, in effect, becomes another tax on our residents.”

Reser cited economic changes in the city during the past 15 years as the reason the city has to look at other options other than being part of the ambulance district.

“We have seen a 14-percent drop in our population and our population is aging, so our tax base has been reduced,” Reser said. “The state has chosen to implement a tax policy that has reduced our general fund revenue by approximately $500,000 per year. This loss in revenue has to be made up somehow, either in cutting staff, increasing revenue by taxation or generating revenue on our own.”

Reser said estimated revenues and expenses on a three-year contract with 200 runs per year at $280 per run based on reports from the city of Galion that already operates its own ambulance service, shows a total of $168,000 in revenue.

Reser said it’s not an easy decision to make to leave the district, which would present a dilemma for the townships that are part of the district.

“I have many friends that live in townships, but in coming to this decision, I was put here to lead the 12,000 citizens of this community and I think what is best for us is to move towards this type of service,” Reser said.

Committee member Bruce Truka asked if a new contract means that company will handle nursing home runs.

“Any ambulance company that comes into town would have the right to contract with nursing homes,” said Kevin Myers, chair of the health and safety committee.

Truka also wanted to know if there will be a subsidy required for an ambulance service.

“That is an unknown,” said Myers, who also added that it is an unknown if the contract is done through the district.

Currently, there is no subsidy being paid to Life Support Team EMS.

Acting Bucyrus Fire Chief Chad Schwemley said the fire department already does approximately 360 assists to Life Support Team EMS currently, but it varies.

“The staffing is already there. We have a minimum of three firefighters per shift and there can be up to five on shift at one time.

“We can also page-in when needed but it’s not going to happen very often where you have to page,” Schwemley said.

Schwemley said that we all have wants and needs, but can only have what the city can afford when it comes to emergency services.

“Galion made the decision to put EMS in their fire department over 10 years ago. They provide a great service to their community,” Schwemley said. “As the chief of the fire department, I am not for renewing the contract with the ambulance district.”

Bucyrus resident Dale Gingery asked if the city ventures out on their own, would city allow private runs or strictly 911 runs.

“We would require one 911 vehicle in the city at all times along with the city’s backup. They could have a second ambulance for private runs,” Reser said.

Gingery said that the city should spend a little extra and not allow any private runs. He pointed out that Life Support Team EMS goes on many private runs, leaving the city unprotected at times.

“I think it’s better for the residents,” Gingery said. “I completely agree with leaving the district.”

On the issue of soft-billing verses hard-billing, Reser said city residents would be soft-billed since they already pay taxes that would be used to fund the ambulance service.

“Soft-billing is when you send one bill to a resident and if they don’t pay it, we write it off. Hard-billing is when you bill and bill and bill, then send it to collections if it is not paid,” Reser said.

Council member Dan Wirebaugh said he feels the city is rolling the dice with too many unknowns when it comes to securing an ambulance company.

“So, we don’t know if we will receive any bids or if there will be a subsidy or not,” Wirebaugh said.

Schwemley pointed out that the Central Joint Ambulance District will be doing the same thing yet the city does not have control over the outcome.

The city has one vote on the CJAD while the townships have 15 votes.

Council president Sis Love said if there is a $100,000 subsidy, the city pays 46 percent which would equal $46,000 while the townships would then share the remaining $54,000.

JD Hord from Bucyrus Township, and a member of the CJAD, said that percentage-wise the amount paid to the subsidies is the same for all per capita.

“The future of ambulance service in Bucyrus lies within the fire department. It allows us control, it allow us money to fund safety forces. We are not breaking new ground here. Look around the state, look at Crestline and Galion. They are doing it,” Reser said.

After much more discussion, Myers decided that the issue will go before the full council for a vote to determine whether or not the city stays with the district or ventures out on its own.

In other business, the committee also approved legislation for street closures for the upcoming Cruisin’ with the Cops Car Show on June 9 to be voted on by council.

In the finance committee, various appropriations and a repeal and replace to an ordinance billet concerning staffing at the Aumiller Park Pool and concession stand were approved to be voted on by council.

The Platting Committee voted to send conditional use for multi-housing in the R-3 district to be set for a hearing along with conditional use for tower construction in GB and GI districts.

A motion for a resolution concerning the city tower user agreement for Wavelinc Communications also was approved to be brought before council for a vote.

The next council meeting is April 3 at 7 p.m. in council chambers at Bucyrus City Hall.