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April 29, 2005
Board targets ambulance ordinanceREPEAL OF LAW WOULD PREVENT REGULATORY OVERSIGHT
By BREANNE HUBBARD Ordinance No. 41 gives the board the right to govern the licensing of private or commercial ambulance services. Businesses wanting to provide ambulance service in Pahrump have to appear before the board for approval. But, that could all change within three readings of the newly drafted ordinance. Members placed ordinance No. 49 on the agenda, which states the board having control over what businesses provide service to residents "is no longer in the best interest of the citizens of the town." Board Chairman Richard Billman told the audience if they wanted to voice their opinions on the ordinance, it would have to be done during public comment. The proposed law wouldn't be discussed until its third reading, which would most likely be at the May 24 meeting. Several residents had something to say to the board, and it wasn't in support of the repeal. Paula Glidden, former town board member and also a member of the Pahrump Valley Fire-Rescue taskforce advisory board, felt the town missed a step in the process of the draft. "Why is it no one came to our board?" she asked. Resident Paula Elefante said the ordinance was put into place to protect the people in the community. "It was put there to make sure that you, who license them, license qualified people," she said. Firefighter and paramedic Tim Gold approached the podium and told the board he was having a hard time wrapping his head around why the town board would want to repeal the ordinance. Gold said every time contract negotiations commence, something like this happens. "Is this a scare tactic?" he asked. Why the board was repealing the ordinance, Gold said, wasn't clear to anyone and he wanted an answer. "I think you owe that to the members of this town," he said. An answer wasn't supplied, which is common practice during public comment. "You need to be more aggressive on what goes on here, not less," resident Harley Kulkin told the board. It seemed to Kulkin like the board is trying to get less involved in one of its only duties. Kulkin believes once the hospital opens, the ambulance service will become profitable and the town should hold on to its authority on what ambulance providers run through town. Shortly after public comment, the board acted as if the repeal didn't exist as it made a decision to purchase two replacement ambulances for Fire-Rescue for $200,000. According to Town Manager Dave Richards, the money would transfer from the general fund to the ambulance enterprise fund. Currently, Fire-Rescue has four ambulances with a combined mileage of roughly 1 million miles. Medic No. 2, a 2003 model and the lowest mileage in the fleet, already has 110,000 miles. The two ambulances to be replaced are Medics No. 1 and No. 10 with 400,000 and 300,000 miles, respectively. Fire Chief Scott Lewis gave the board three options, with replacing the two ambulances the lowest risk. Both Richards and Lewis recommended the board take the low-risk option. Board member Paul Willis made a motion to approve the resolution to replace the two ambulances and purchase two new ones. Board member Laurayne Murray gave a second. Kulkin appeared at the podium again. He wondered why, if the board is looking at repealing ordinance No. 41, it would buy new ambulances. Billman said there are a few private ambulance providers in town now and it doesn't affect Fire-Rescue. He doesn't think it'll be a future problem. Resident Sally Devlin was gung ho about the purchase of two new ambulances. She said she supports Lewis and Fire-Rescue and he should be able to have any equipment he needs. Murray thought the purchases would be a good idea, because as clerk, she signs the vouchers for ambulance maintenance and finds both ambulances in need of replacement are in the shop almost every week. "We're obviously spending a lot of money on maintenance," she said. The motion passed 3-0. Board member Ed Bishop was absent due to illness. The ambulances would be acquired within a 90- to 120-day period. |
