Published June 14 in the Nicholas Countian

American Emergency Response awarded Nicholas County ambulance contract

The Nicholas Countian

CARLISLE — The Nicholas County Fiscal Court met in special session last Friday afternoon to hear presentations from three prospective contractors to provide emergency ambulance service in the community, beginning July 1. Following the presentations, made without dollar figures revealed and then disclosed after all were before the court, the court voted unanimously to award the contract to American Emergency Resources, with operational headquarters in Florence in northern Kentucky.

Judge Executive Larry Tincher recommended that American Emergency Resources be awarded the contract, with the court subsidizing the operation in the amount of $48,000, the same amount of subsidy as provided to Nicholas County Ambulance Service co-operators Michelle Mitchell and Stephanie Ring in the current year that ends June 30. The court last month rejected a bid of $75,000 in subsidy that was submitted by Mitchell and Ring to continue into the next fiscal year.

The other two presentations at Friday’s called meeting of the court were by Johnson Mathers Health Care and by Darrell Gardner, a paramedic instructor currently serving with Brown’s EMS in Harrison County. Both the JMHC proposal and Gardner’s proposal called for a larger subsidy amount than did that presented by American Emergency Resources. The JMHC subsidy proposal, made by Chief Executive Officer Doris Ecton, called for $55,000, plus a new building to house ambulances at the health care facility. Gardner’s proposal called for a subsidy from the court of $60,000.

The Nicholas County Fire & Rescue Squad also had the opportunity to present a proposal to operate the ambulance service, but Fire & Rescue Board Chairman Billy Hunter and Chief Mark Hughes announced at the Friday meeting that, by vote of their board, they declined. Chief Hughes told the court that he felt he could work cooperatively and successfully with any one of the three agencies that had proposals on the table.

In making their winning presentation for American Emergency Resources, CEO Dr. Anthony Albano and Chief Operating Officer Andy Wartman, a Registered Nurse, told the court and others in attendance that those currently employed by Nicholas County Ambulance Service and wishing to continue would still be employed by Nicholas County Ambulance Service after July 1. They said the knowledge of the Nicholas County community, especially knowledge of the rural roads and rural areas, is valuable knowledge that he and his staff do not yet possess and they will depend on the ambulance staff for that knowledge in meeting the community’s emergency service needs.

Dr. Albano said the organization provides education and training opportunities for its employees, and those employees who participate in those opportunities are the employees who will continue to serve. Acknowledging that there is a shortage of paramedics not only in this area but across the commonwealth, he said that having more individuals trained and qualified to work as paramedics with the Nicholas County Ambulance Service will be a major goal.

In her presentation, Doris Ecton detailed seven provisions for the fiscal court and six for Johnson Mathers Health Care. She said JMHC, in providing ALS (Advanced Life Support) ambulance service for the community, would: employ sufficient staff to meet the needs for service at all times; provide professional liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000/$3,000,000 and an umbrella of $5,000,000; provide needed supplies, drugs and oxygen; maintain all medical equipment; bill all recipients of service with collections going to JMHC; and operate the service from a base at Nicholas County Hospital.

As its part of a contract with JMHC, the fiscal court would: provide three working ambulances; provide auto insurance on all ambulances with liability limits of $1,000,000; provide a heated building at the hospital site, not later than August 15, 2002, for parked ambulances, with JMHC to retain exclusive use of the building at such time that JMHC no longer provides ambulance service; allow access to diesel fuel for the ambulances at the county’s cost; agree to a one-year contract renewable to the option of JMHC; and subsidize the operation in the amount of $55,000, payable 50 percent at contract inception and the balance monthly.

Darrell Gardner stated in his proposal that, if awarded the contract to provide emergency ambulance service in Nicholas County, he would: maintain and operate an ALS service in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations; hire personnel with all state certification to work for an ALS service; have at least two certified personnel on all ambulance calls and to be enroute to emergency call within two minutes after notification; transport all patients to the most appropriate facility, regardless of patients’ ability to pay; provide CPR and first-aid training to citizens of Nicholas County; have standard operating procedures in place for all personnel; establish a uniform policy covering conduct, duties and uniforms; have mutual aid agreements with all surrounding counties; personally investigate all complaints; obtain high caliber employee salaries, based on those in surrounding counties; have all run sheets scrutinized by the director; work with other counties’ emergency services to better serve Nicholas County; give a monthly report to Nicholas County Fiscal Court; and apply all income to betterment of equipment and service.

Following the decision on the ambulance contract for the new fiscal, the judge executive and the magistrates turned their attention to the second item on the agenda of the called meeting, first reading of the budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2002-2003. The second reading and action for adoption will take place in another special meeting, called for Tuesday afternoon, June 25, at 3:30.

Anticipated revenues in the new budget include $678.517 in the General Fund, $642,455 in the Road Fund, $189,224 in the Jail Fund, $148,000 in the Mathers Fund, $29,433 in the Hospital Sinking Fund, $93,350 in the Landfill fund, $282,000 in the PanelMaster Inc. Fund, and $229,231 in the Small Business Fund.

Appropriations in the proposal to voted upon on June 25 include:

• $104,073 in the County Judge Executive account, with the stated-mandated judge executive’s salary of $57,812 representing more than 55 percent of the total;
• $11,357 in the County Attorney account, all designated as salary for the county attorney;
• $6,000 in the County Clerk account, with two thirds of the dollars allocated for office supplies;
• $23,298 in the Sheriff’s account, with $19,098 allocated for salaries and wages (other than for the sheriff);
• $6,324 in the Coroner’s account;
• $25,724 in the Magistrates’ account, with $18,924 allocated for magistrates’ salaries and $5,000 for magistrates’ fringe benefits;
• $9,211 in the Property Valuation Administrator account;
• $400 in the Board of Real Estate Assessments account;
• $12,948 as salary for the County Treasurer account;
• $600 in the Law Library account;
• $21,500 in the Election account, with $15,000 designated for specific supplies and equipment;
• $64,359 in the Courthouse account, which covers such things as custodial services and building maintenance and repairs;
• $18,250 in the Other County Property account for utilities, maintenance and repairs and supplies;
• $7.400 in the DES (Disaster & Emergency Services) account for contracted services and operating expenses;
• $65,274 in the Protection to Person & Property account, with $48,000 designated for ambulance service subsidy and $12,433 allocated as the county’s share of emergency dispatch service;
• $5,100 for the dog warden and dog food;
• $14,800 in the General Health & Sanitation account;
• $21,850 in the Social Services account, with $17,500 of the amount allocated as a contribution to the Senior Citizens’ Center operation and programs;
• $52,000 in the Recreation & culture account, with $49,000 of the money designated for program support of the Cooperative Extension Service;
• $70,000 allocated for debt service on borrowed money and/or lease agreements;
• $41,000 in the General Services account, for such things as insurance, audit services and advertising;
• $25,206 in the Reserved for Transfer account; and
• $99,000 in the Fringe Benefits account, including Social Security, retirement, unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation.

With carryover from the current year’s budget, the bottom line on anticipated revenue and proposed appropriations in the General Fund next year is $698,817.

The proposed Road Fund budget appropriations during the next fiscal year are $642,455. Road maintenance expenses account for $481,620, or 75 percent of the total, and the second largest portion is $78,600, appropriated for fringe benefits for the Road Department personnel.

The Jail Fund appropriations for 2002-2003 are set at $189,224. $130,000 of that total is designated for contracts with other counties’ detention centers to house adult criminal offenders and $20,000 as the jailer’s salary.

The LGEA Fund amount is $21,000, with every dollar to be appropriated for petroleum products for road maintenance.

The Mathers Fund totals $148,000, with $138,416 appropriated for the general welfare of children and youth.

The Landfill Fund has appropriations of $91,350, with $55,000 of the total designated for transfer of solid waste. 

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