Debate Set on Oklahoma City EMS Service

Sep. 19--Who should operate ambulances in Oklahoma City?

Representatives from the Emergency Medical Services Authority and the Oklahoma City Fire Department will give presentations to the city council today that could determine whether ambulances will continue to be run by EMSA, a joint venture of Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

If Oklahoma City Council members want to consider ending their partnership with Tulsa, they must notify Tulsa officials next month. Some have suggested the service could be performed more cheaply and efficiently by the city's fire department.

The city has subsidized EMSA the past six years. The city will pay $3.4 million to subsidize ambulance service this year, more than double what it paid when the city first began subsidizing EMSA in 1999.

Each Oklahoma City resident pays about $7 annually in sales taxes for ambulance service.

After today's presentations, the council is scheduled to discuss the issue. Any action would take place at a future council meeting, City Manager Jim Couch said.

One council member questioned Monday whether the public was given enough notice of today's meeting. The meeting was posted on a bulletin board in front of the city council chambers last week as required by state law.

The law also requires meeting notices and agendas be posted on the city's Web site. No such notice was posted until after city officials were questioned about the law by The Oklahoman on Monday afternoon.

City Attorney Kenny Jordan said the law doesn't say how long in advance of a meeting the online notice must be posted. He said he is confident the city met open meeting requirements.

"While we may have complied with the letter of the law by getting this posted today, it certainly doesn't comply with the spirit of the law," Ward 4 Councilman Pete White said. "We certainly ought to make some special effort to afford the public an opportunity to talk about it at a regular council meeting."

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