I do agree with the basic implications of localmya’s post: in a time of rising costs and belt-tightening, we need to look across the board at containing costs. Perhaps there are ways to reduce operational costs in the Village Fire/EMS budget, and it is not clear to me what efforts have been made in this regard. But I resist the label of “old boys’ club”. After all, I’m not old, and I’m not a boy; I am a female volunteer FF and EMT with our local company, and I am still doing what I can to retain my sense of youth!

To: Members of the Trumansburg Village Board of Trustees
From: Marianne Arcangeli
Date: May 13, 2008
Subject: EMS 3rd Party Billing in Trumansburg

Thank you for releasing into public domain the Report from EMS Task Force on 3rd Party Billing. On November 14, 2007, I sent an e-mail of concern regarding 3rd party billing for EMS calls to Mayor Petrovic and requested that he share it with the Village Board of Trustees. Apparently he did so, as most of my questions were answered in the task force report.

The report also raises a few more questions for me. It indicates that task force members conferred extensively with the Fire Chief and Village Attorney in Alden. Did they take the opportunity to speak with any of Alden’s EMS volunteers? I am interested in their viewpoint, particularly in the opinions of those who were active volunteers during the switchover from non-billing to billing status.

Did the task force ever consider the idea that Trumansburg return to a completely volunteer system, having a contract with Bangs Ambulance for the 6am-6pm, 12 hour shift? I’m wondering what the cost savings to Trumansburg would be if we adopted that form of EMS service? I’d like to see those numbers before I make my final decision in July.

Two of my original questions remain unanswered:

1) Will the schools and community organizations that depend on the ambulance to stand-by at their events, free of charge under the non-billing status, be charged a fee under the billing status? If yes, what amount?
2) Currently, T-burg EMS sponsors blood pressure clinics, community CPR and First Aid courses, and EMS week activities. I think these are free of charge and offered as a public service. Under the billing status, will these types of events continue to be sponsored? If so, will they remain a public service or will there be fees attached?

I received a “thankyou for attending the meeting and these are questions that the task force should investigate” reply from the Mayor. I’ve had no reply from any other board member. Still no questions answered.

Marianne

Re: 3rd party billing in T-burg. I attended the recent Village Board meeting during which the Task Force report was unveiled for public consumption. I’m convinced that there are still too many stones unturned to make this decision. Within the next day or two, I’ll add here my post- meeting letter to the Village Board.

Still wondering if anyone knows why the footbridge behind the post office is boarded up…