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Springdale Township Commissioner Tim Bassilon wants two things before he votes to fund the underfunded Lower Valley Ambulance Service.
Basilone wants to see a solid business plan and get assurance that the EMS provider can work well as the township’s primary ambulance provider.
Basilone made these requests at a meeting of township commissioners last week, when commissioners discussed seeking direct financial support from the seven municipalities served by the ambulance service. Springdale Township is one of them.
“It’s like when a company goes to a bank to get a loan. One of the things they have to provide is a business plan,” says Basilone.
Lower Valley Ambulance Service officials claim that many patients they refer to retain reimbursements for insurance they received to pay for using the service, rather than pass payments on to the service. increase. Lower Valley officials said it led to financial instability for the nonprofit organization.
As a result, Lower Valley is asking the communities it serves (Springdale Township, Springdale, Harmar, Cheswick, Verona, Oakmont, Indiana Township) to contribute funds to cover operating costs.
We have notified the communities that we need $50 per resident in each community.
For Springdale Township, that’s just under $78,000 based on 1,557 residents.
As part of the request, Lower Valley officials developed seven short-term plans. Its first plan is to secure funding from the local government.
Another point about easing the financial situation seems to have been only to “continue to identify and reduce expenses for office space, vehicles, etc.”
The other five items included hiring a secretary general, increasing salaries for paramedics and paramedics by renegotiating union contracts, increasing and retaining paramedics and paramedics, continuing community outreach; Expansion of wheelchair van services was called for.
“They need to contact us and their plans should be more substantial,” Basilone said.
“They should come up with a business plan,” he said. “They aren’t telling you how to do things differently to survive.”
Township attorney Craig Alexander said the township should provide emergency services to its residents.
“We need to provide EMS. We need to provide ambulance service,” Alexander told the commissioner. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that you (use) the Lower Valley, but you have to provide it.”
Basilone also questioned whether Lower Valley can continue to serve all communities.
“If you can’t cover all primaries (communities), you need to know,” he said.
Township Manager Bill McElligott plans to meet with Lower Valley Ambulance Service personnel this week to relay Basilone’s request.
He said he didn’t know how many communities would support the Lower Valley funding request.
“Most of the Lower Valley executives are from Oakmont and I’m not sure Oakmont will stay with them,” said McElligott.
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