Oxford officials last week unanimously agreed they want their local fire department to provide Advance Life Support service, however, how it would be funded remained an unresolved bone of contention.
For more than three hours Feb. 3 township and village members of the Oxford Public Fire and EMS Commission discussed the issue of providing local ALS, but came to no substantive conclusion regarding the financing of the service.
ALS is currently provided to Oxford via the private ambulance service American Medical Response.
However, unacceptably long response times and fears over potential cutbacks in service (or even possible elimination of said service) prompted Fire Chief Jack LeRoy to request a millage proposal that would allow his department to provide ALS.
A five-year 2.45-mill levy for combined fire operations and ALS services was proposed to be placed on the May 3 ballot, resulting in a proposed 2006 operating budget of $1,769,726. The suggested amount represented a 1.1457-mill increase over the current fire operating millage rate of 1.3043-mill, which resulted in a 2005 operating budget of $918,057.
The current fire operating millage is set to expire with the December 2005 tax levy.
Numerous motions on the subject of financing combined fire operations and ALS services failed on both the township and village sides for a multitude of reasons that varied from commissioner to commissioner.
For instance, village Councilman George DelVigna stated his belief that any future fire and ALS millages should be proposed and levied by OPFEC ? not through the township as proposed in various motions ? because it’s the governing body for the fire department.
DelVigna noted that he’s ‘always been in favor of? OPFEC and had ‘confidence in this board.? He said there’s ‘nothing wrong with the board.?
‘It’s the people (serving on OPFEC) that don’t want it to work. That’s the reason it doesn’t work,? the councilman said. ‘It’s us not making it work.?
However, some township officials alluded to the fact the township board may vote at its Feb. 9 meeting to place a millage proposal for fire operations and ALS services on the May 3 ballot and levy it over the entire township including the village.
Since 1999, the township and village have levied separate fire operating millages. The township’s millage rate is voter-approved while the village’s is set by a vote of council.
‘This board (OPFEC) won’t be the one making the decision,? said township Treasurer Joe Ferrari, referring the possible fire operating/ALS millage proposal. ‘The township board will be the one to decide whether to put it on the ballot or not.?
Township Trustee Charlie Kniffen said the township board’s placement of a millage over the entire township including the village ‘would settle this, but I don’t know if the township board members have got the backbone to do that.?
Ferrari said he hopes the township board will have the ‘political courage? it ‘lacked? last year ‘to do something? with regard to a fire/ALS millage proposal.
Officials also discussed placing a proposed five-year, $935,000 bond proposal on the May 3 ballot with a corresponding levy of 0.27-mills to pay for it.
The bond money would be used to purchase a new $360,000 fire pumper/engine truck to replace an existing one that’s nearing its 20th year of service and is due for retirement. Chief LeRoy said this replacement truck is ‘sorely? needed as the service life of a fire engine is 20 years.
The remaining $575,000 on the bond would be used to add bunkroom and kitchen facilities to Fire Station #1 (headquarters), so as to allow 24-hour staffing. Living quarters were included in the original plans for Station #1, but higher-than-anticipated construction and land acquisition costs forced them to be cut from the project, which was paid for with bond issue approved by voters in November 2000.
LeRoy said the goal is to have both the main and branch stations staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The branch station already has a bunkroom and full kitchen.
‘Dormitory expansion to me is not a priority,? said township Clerk Clara Sanderson.
LeRoy disagreed saying that if local ALS becomes a reality and is implemented, living quarters will be needed at both stations to house two staff members at each location 24-7. Each station would house a transporting ALS unit.
Ultimately, officials couldn’t agree on the bond proposal either so it too remained unresolved
Officials have until Feb. 22 to submit ballot language to Oakland County in order to place any millage or bond proposals on the May 3 ballot.
Visibly frustrated by OPFEC’s inaction, LeRoy told the board, ‘You are a commission. You are a body. You are not a village council. You are not a township board. You are an oversight commission that governs fire and EMS operations for a 36-square-mile district. Sit there and think of it in that respect and stop thinking of yourselves as your individual entities.?