Council votes to allow township EMS, fire services to continue despite lack of contract
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
With the passage of an emergency ordinance, township residents will have fire and EMS coverage into 2012, as elected officials work to reach a contract agreement on services. While some officials say they anticipate a speedy resolution to the negotiations, others say the resolution should have been reached months ago.
The Hillsboro City Council met Wednesday in a special session to consider a resolution presented by Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt to "authorize the mayor to provide services outside of the city."
The resolution directs the mayor, "to provide all necessary fire and (Emergency Medical Services) to property owners and residents outside the corporation limits of the city of Hillsboro, upon such terms as are reasonably obtainable for a period of (60 days), suspending any existing legislation to the contrary."
The city is currently engaged in negotiations with Hamer, Jackson, Liberty, New Market, Paint and Washington townships on a continuation of their contract for fire and EMS to be provided by Hillsboro Fire and Rescue. A point of contention has been how much the townships will pay per person for the services. In previous contracts, the townships did not pay for EMS, and it was included with the fire services.
The townships are being represented by their legal counsel, Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins. Collins, Highland County Commissioner Tom Horst, township representatives, and some Hillsboro residents were in attendance at Wednesday's meeting.
Zink told The Highland County Press that he had discussed the necessity for a meeting this week with Hillsboro City Council Preside Lee Koogler, and when one was not immediately scheduled, Zink and Holt contacted the clerk of council so that the the safety and service director could present the legislation. Zink said a quorum of council members was not available Thursday, and Koogler then scheduled the meeting for Wednesday.
"This has been in committee for three months," Zink said. "We've kept the townships dangling on a string, and that's not the right way to do business with somebody."
As with all emergency measures, Wednesday's resolution stated that it was "necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare." It was additionally stated that, "immediate action is needed to permit emergency services outside the city corporation."
Koogler said that there is an ordinance the prohibited the city from, "sending its fire and EMS outside the corporation limits without a contract."
Initially, the time frame given within the resolution was left blank.
"I would advocate that 60 days would be, I think, an adequate period of time in which to extend and place that in terms of the number of days within the legislation," Koogler said.
Koogler called for a motion or discussion on the matter. While there was no discussion, council member Pete Pence made a motion to insert 60 days as the period of time for the resolution. The motion was seconded by council member Brian Waller, and it passed 5-0.
Council member Bonnie Parr made a motion to waive the three-reading rule, which was seconded by Dave Shoemaker. Parr made a motion to adopt the resolution, which was seconded by Mary Brown Turner.
Council member Bill Alexander was not in attendance, as he was spending time with family and "not immediately available to return home," according to Koogler. Council voted to excuse the absence. Council member Rod Daniels, who has been deployed to serve overseas with the 15th psychological operations Army Reserve, was also not in attendance. Council did not have a discussion or motion regarding Daniels' absence.
Having no other business, council adjourned the meeting, which lasted less than five minutes.
Following the meeting, Koogler told The Highland County Press that the passage of the resolution is, "So the city can continue to provide the services to the townships."
Koogler said that he believed there will be a contract agreement shortly after the first of the year, and that, "in the next 60 days I hope to have a resolution."
Collin said that the townships were appreciative that the city would take the step to ensure that services would continue, and that she agreed that, "the negotiations should go quickly" after the new year.
Holt said that council's decision was, "Positive for the townships. Now we can continue to provide fire and EMS. The right thing for the city to do is to negotiate a contract so the city can receive revenue for these services, and (what the townships pay) should be equal to what the citizens of Hillsboro pay."
The last day in office for Holt and Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink is Dec. 31.
Negotiations and complications between the city and the townships began in May 2010 when Holt sent a letter - under the direction of council - to the township trustees initiating negotiation for 2011's emergency services contract with in Hamer, Jackson, Liberty, New Market, Paint, Penn and Washington townships. The city initially proposed an increases between 42 percent and 76.34 percent for the individual townships.
Penn Township ultimately joined the Highland County North Joint Fire and Ambulance District in Leesburg.
In November 2010, after six months of negotiations, council voted 5-2 to accept a contract with an 18-percent increase for fire services, with the condition EMS services be provided at no additional charge through 2011.
Four months later, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt sent a letter to the township trustees of the affected counties on March 17 saying that due to the financial hardship the EMS services were causing to the city, the EMS services would be cancelled by June 30. The townships currently do not pay for EMS services, but they do pay for fire services.
In June, it was announced that the city would continue to honor its contract and provide the services through Dec. 31, 2011, and that negotiations would continue for the 2012 contract.
In June, Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis had told council's finance committee that the current cost of services per person per year is $17.81. Lewis said that $9.06 would be needed to cover the costs of the equipment, which brings the total to $26.87, which he rounded up to $27 per township resident. It would bring in an additional $113,000 per year. That would be combined with the current "soft billing" that the city does on EMS runs. During negotiations, the city offered $40 per resident, and the townships countered with $22 per resident. A contract for 2012 has not been reached.
With the passage of an emergency ordinance, township residents will have fire and EMS coverage into 2012, as elected officials work to reach a contract agreement on services. While some officials say they anticipate a speedy resolution to the negotiations, others say the resolution should have been reached months ago.
The Hillsboro City Council met Wednesday in a special session to consider a resolution presented by Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt to "authorize the mayor to provide services outside of the city."
The resolution directs the mayor "to provide all necessary fire and (Emergency Medical Services) to property owners and residents outside the corporation limits of the city of Hillsboro, upon such terms as are reasonably obtainable for a period of (60 days), suspending any existing legislation to the contrary."
The city is currently engaged in negotiations with Hamer, Jackson, Liberty, New Market, Paint and Washington townships on a continuation of their contract for fire and EMS to be provided by Hillsboro Fire and Rescue. A point of contention has been how much the townships will pay per person for the services. In previous contracts, the townships did not pay for EMS, and it was included with the fire services.
The townships are being represented by their legal counsel, Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins. Collins, Highland County Commissioner Tom Horst, township representatives and some Hillsboro residents were in attendance at Wednesday's meeting.
Zink told The Highland County Press that he had discussed the necessity for a meeting this week with Hillsboro City Council President Lee Koogler, and when one was not immediately scheduled, Zink and Holt contacted the clerk of council so that the the safety and service director could present the legislation. Zink said a quorum of council members was not available Thursday, and Koogler then scheduled the meeting for Wednesday.
"This has been in committee for three months," Zink said. "We've kept the townships dangling on a string, and that's not the right way to do business with somebody."
As with all emergency measures, Wednesday's resolution stated that it was "necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare." It was additionally stated that "immediate action is needed to permit emergency services outside the city corporation."
Koogler said that there is an ordinance that prohibited the city from "sending its fire and EMS outside the corporation limits without a contract."
Initially, the time frame given within the resolution was left blank.
"I would advocate that 60 days would be, I think, an adequate period of time in which to extend and place that in terms of the number of days within the legislation," Koogler said.
Koogler called for a motion or discussion on the matter. While there was no discussion, council member Pete Pence made a motion to insert 60 days as the period of time for the resolution. The motion was seconded by council member Brian Waller, and it passed 5-0.
Council member Bonnie Parr made a motion to waive the three-reading rule, which was seconded by Dave Shoemaker. Parr made a motion to adopt the resolution, which was seconded by Mary Brown Turner.
Council member Bill Alexander was not in attendance, as he was spending time with family and "not immediately available to return home," according to Koogler. Council voted to excuse the absence. Council member Rod Daniels, who has been deployed to serve overseas with the 15th psychological operations Army Reserve, was also not in attendance. Council did not have a discussion or motion regarding Daniels' absence.
Having no other business, council adjourned the meeting, which lasted less than five minutes.
Following the meeting, Koogler told The Highland County Press that the passage of the resolution is, "So the city can continue to provide the services to the townships."
Koogler said that he believed there will be a contract agreement shortly after the first of the year, and that, "in the next 60 days I hope to have a resolution."
Collins said that the townships were appreciative that the city would take the step to ensure that services would continue, and that she agreed that "the negotiations should go quickly" after the new year.
Holt said that council's decision was, "Positive for the townships. Now we can continue to provide fire and EMS. The right thing for the city to do is to negotiate a contract so the city can receive revenue for these services, and (what the townships pay) should be equal to what the citizens of Hillsboro pay."
The last day in office for Holt and Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink is Dec. 31.
Negotiations and complications between the city and the townships began in May 2010 when Holt sent a letter - under the direction of council - to the township trustees initiating negotiation for 2011's emergency services contract with in Hamer, Jackson, Liberty, New Market, Paint, Penn and Washington townships. The city initially proposed an increases between 42 percent and 76.34 percent for the individual townships.
Penn Township ultimately joined the Highland County North Joint Fire and Ambulance District in Leesburg.
In November 2010, after six months of negotiations, council voted 5-2 to accept a contract with an 18-percent increase for fire services, with the condition EMS services be provided at no additional charge through 2011.
Four months later, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt sent a letter to the township trustees of the affected counties on March 17 saying that due to the financial hardship the EMS services were causing to the city, the EMS services would be cancelled by June 30. The townships currently do not pay for EMS services, but they do pay for fire services.
In June, it was announced that the city would continue to honor its contract and provide the services through Dec. 31, 2011, and that negotiations would continue for the 2012 contract.
In June, Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis had told council's finance committee that the current cost of services per person per year is $17.81. Lewis said that $9.06 would be needed to cover the costs of the equipment, which brings the total to $26.87, which he rounded up to $27 per township resident. It would bring in an additional $113,000 per year. That would be combined with the current "soft billing" that the city does on EMS runs. During negotiations, the city offered $40 per resident, and the townships countered with $22 per resident. A contract for 2012 has not been reached.
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