Published: May 12, 2008 04:26 pm         

Ambulance service needs $93,000 to solve overtime issue

It may be an emergency, but it's not one of a medical nature.

Budget committee members were forced to remove $75,000 from the county's general fund and transfer it to the emergency medical services budget in order to satisfy the demands of paying overtime for the county's ambulance service.

County EMS Director Victor Randolph came to the committee and explained the problem with Cumberland County Finance Director Nathan Brock.

Brock reported to the committee that as of the end of April the overtime paid out for the ambulance service was at $534,160. A total of approximately $563,000 was budgeted for fiscal year 2007-'08, leaving only a little over $28,000 for wages for May and June.

Brock said it will cost roughly $60,000 to $70,000 for May and June.

"How in the world did this get so far out of hand?" 5th District Commissioner Sharon York asked.

"Well, we didn't figure in leave time and at the time of budget I didn't know what they would be making," Randolph replied.

He also said the EMS salary increase on the new pay scale had not been figured into the budget with leave time. Several other commissioners made remarks about the budget situation.

However, Randolph said that collections or revenues from the ambulance service were up at around $250,000 for the month. Brock had them projected at around $165,000.

"So, you're in the same as the sheriff," 3rd District Commissioner Lynn Tollett said.

"No, this is worse because there is nowhere to pull the money from," Randolph said.

"It is possible that we can take around $20,000 from the part-time line," Nathan Brock said. "But I don't see any way we can solve this without having new money put into the EMS budget."

"It all comes down to scheduling," 9th District Commissioner Carmin Lynch said.

"Absolutely. I've been saying that since last year when we talked about the pay scale when we talked about all the overtime," York said.

"I guess I'm going to have to be the one to say this, but there's going to have to be some belt tightening done around here. The times are changing. Budget time is coming up," Tollett said.

Seventh District Commissioner Mike Harvel asked Randolph about occasionally seeing a third man in an ambulance.

"Can't you just send a third man home, or reschedule them or something if their partner don't come in?" Harvel asked.

"It happens like that sometimes, but it's not that simple. Sometimes we need the third man. There's cases of lifting and other things. It's not always that simple," Randolph said.

"Don't get me wrong here. I'm all about saving lives, but on a lot of calls I see two trucks there when there doesn't have to be. They're not always needed," 4th District Commissioner David Gibson said. "I've even heard them say signal nine (forget the call) and they still come out there. You've got control over that."

"Victor, it all starts with you. You're at the top of the string," York said.

"I agree," Randolph replied.

"You're going to have to step up to the plate here and make some changes with scheduling. Seeing all this and coming in asking for this kind of money?" York said.

"I've seen EMS from town have to come out to the Glade for trips," Lynch said.

"Is it the pay scale that caused this? I mean we labored and looked at it and didn't figure this out ... Is it tougher to get hired help?" Tollett asked.

"We don't have much of a choice. I mean we either fund this or we have to shut down the ambulance service. I sure don't want to see that. But we don't have a choice," 2nd District Commissioner Nancy Hyder said.

"If we're able to do this, how are you going to fix it? How will you fix it so it doesn't happen again?" York asked.

"Well, I'm going to have to build up my part-time staff," Randolph said.

"Well, you're overdrawn ... call it what it is," Tollett said.

After some figuring, Nathan Brock said it would take about $75,000 of new money to go into the EMS budget's over-time line as well as $18,000 from the part-time line for a total of $93,000 in order to finish out the fiscal year.

Lynch made a motion to get the funding from the general fund balance and the $18,000 from the part-time line of the EMS budget and place it into the over time line.

"I'd like to add to that motion that we look at new scheduling to streamline this," Lynch said.

Sixth District Commissioner Wendell Wislon supported the motion and it passed unanimously.

"Now, I guess it's a good thing you're here for the warning. Start preparing. Look at schedules and scheduling because it's coming. We're going to look at this and figure something out," Tollett said to Randolph. "We're going to have to do this, but begrudgingly do it."