Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – After months of discussion and public input, including about 25 speakers at a public meeting at City Hall Jan. 21, City Council voted 5-1 to discontinue the city’s pursuit of creating a city-operated ambulance service. What began a little over a year ago as a suggestion at a City Council session as a way for the Presque Isle Fire Department to increase revenues and offset budget expenses, ended with Council determining now was not the time to take on the expense of starting such a business.
All councilors were present at the meeting. Ron McPherson and Don Gardner, who both have family members employed by The Aroostook Medical Center, indicated they didn’t feel their spouses’ employment would cause a conflict of interest and remained for the discussion and vote. Walt Elish, however, excused himself from the meeting, indicating his relationship with TAMC President and CEO Dave Peterson, through their participation in Aroostook Partnership for Progress, created a conflict of interest.
City Manager Tom Stevens said the event went smoothly, with many individuals voicing their opinions as the evening progressed.
“The event was well-attended. Darrell White, chief of the PIFD, and I gave a PowerPoint presentation, recapping the process from its beginning during a 2007 city budget discussion, through Council’s request in 2008 for Darrell and I to explore an ambulance service as a means to enhance revenue, right through the latest meetings and discussions,” said Stevens.
The presentation summarized the development of the plan and the subsequent workshops held on the matter.
“People had a good understanding that this has been a process that has taken 14-15 months. Council’s been very deliberate in discussing and reviewing (the proposed ambulance service). A great deal of information was compiled and reviewed,” said Stevens.
Stevens said if the Council had supported getting into the ambulance service, it most likely wouldn’t have occurred until Jan. 2010, “to allow time for personnel to get additional training, bringing more members of the PIFD up to the paramedic level.”
Much of the two-plus hours of the meeting was devoted to public comment.
“About 25 people came to the podium to speak – some citizens and others TAMC staff members. In all cases, comments and presentations were professional and explained why the ambulance service provided by Crown Ambulance was preferable,” said Stevens. “Most spoke of the quality of care provided by Crown.”
Peterson was pleased with the outcome.
“The event went very well. Council voted to discontinue their efforts to establish an ambulance service,” said Peterson, noting he was “pleased by the tone and professionalism” of those who attended and participated.
“Speakers included (TAMC) staff and a contingent of the general public, including a woman who brought a petition with over 200 signatures (opposing a city-run ambulance service). Council paid attention,” said Peterson. “Clearly, by the end of the day, this was not something they wanted to proceed with. That’s a very positive outcome.”
Peterson said many made the point “that you can have one very high-quality ambulance service, but when you start putting two ambulance services in the same area, one or both will suffer.”
“Several times during the evening the phrase ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ was used,” he said. “And some had reservations about a new service having a positive financial impact on city taxpayers.”
Overall, Peterson thought the session was “very well done.”
“I told some people afterward that this was democracy at the grass roots working and working as it’s supposed to,” said Peterson. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who stepped forward to make their feelings known.”
Following public comment, Council went into deliberative session, before voting on the matter.
“At the end the vote was to cease the attempt to establish a municipal ambulance service through the fire department. The vote was 5-1, with one abstention (Elish), and Jennifer Trombley voting no, basing her decision on the fact the Council was given a task (to find a way to increase revenue for the PIFD),” said Stevens.
While Peterson was pleased with Council’s decision, the end result was bittersweet.
“In December, Council decided to not continue the subsidization of Crown. Now we’re back to business as usual but now have to find a way to fill a $100,000 hole,” said Peterson. “We’ll do it. It’s a challenge. As was pointed out at the meeting, we have a great team with Crown and will work together to make this a go.”
Stevens said the Council’s decision to discontinue the subsidy was made during 2009 budget discussions last fall.
“Ultimately, unless Council goes back and votes to open the budget, the 2009 vote was to not include the subsidy for the budget,” said Stevens, adding it was unlikely Council would make changes to a budget already in place. “Now it’s a non-issue, because the budget is in place. It most likely won’t be discussed again until Council begins looking at the 2010 city budget.”
