Published May 17 in the Nicholas Countian

Nicholas Fiscal Court rejects ambulance service bid

The Nicholas Countian

CARLISLE — The Nicholas Fiscal Court Tuesday afternoon rejected the single bid received for emergency ambulance service in the new fiscal year that begins July 1 and delayed a first reading of the court’s proposed budget for the new year as well. Judge Executive Larry Tincher will call a special meeting of the court before June 1, with both the budget proposal and ambulance service on the agenda.

The bid submitted by Michelle “Shelly” Mitchell, current co-operator of the community’s ambulance service, and opened at Tuesday’s meeting was for a court subsidy of $75,000 in the2002-2003 year. The $75,000 figure represents an increase of more than 55 percent over the current year’s fiscal court subsidy of $48,000.

Mitchell and current Nicholas County Ambulance Service co-operator Stephanie Ring explained that the requested increase is the result of costs incurred in providing ALS (Advanced Life Support) service, an upgrade from the BLS (Basic Life Support) service previously provided. ALS required that a paramedic, rather than an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), be available for patient transportation to administer medications and perform emergency life-saving procedures that cannot be performed by an EMT.

The court members voted to table the matter and delay action after approximately one hour of discussion, in order that they might take a look at the proposed budget for 2002-2003 to help them make an informed decision later in the day. The vote taken later in the day to reject the bid was unanimous, 6-0.

Judge Executive Tincher said he will talk with state officials in Frankfort before the special meeting later this month to discuss options the fiscal court has. He stressed that rejection of “Shelly” Mitchell’s bid does not eliminate her for consideration and that she could submit a new proposal for the court members to consider when they meet in special session to take action on the new budget as well.

In other action at Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting of the Nicholas Fiscal Court, Michael Robert Watkins was awarded the 5,886 pound county tobacco lease with a high bid of 98 cents per pound. Watkins’ bid was the highest of four submitted and was seven and a half cents higher than the nearest of the other three bids.

Judge Executive Tincher informed the court magistrates of the allocation of almost $100,000 through the Democratic Party for road paving in Nicholas County. 

The court approved the signing of an agreement for housing Nicholas County inmates charged with a criminal offense with the Montgomery County Detention Center. The cost remains the same as for this year, $25 per day.

The judge executive said he also has requested final payment from the Small Business Administration of the funds designated for the purchase of the former Jockey sewing plant, now in the hands of the Carlisle - Nicholas County Industrial Development Authority. The funds for the community’s purchase of the property were obtained through Congressman Ernie Fletcher’s office in Washington.

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