News

Tenn. Panel Considers Ambulance Service Proposals

Gary Nelson

03/16/2012

March 15--CROSSVILLE -- Commissioners on the budget committee have requested Cumberland County Mayor Kenneth Carey to invite various ambulance services to present proposals to the committee in order to determine if it would be more logical to outsource the county's ambulance service.

The discussion came up after Cumberland County Finance Director Nathan Brock reported the numbers were down slightly compared to the same period of fiscal year 2010-'11.

Brock reported that January receipts for fiscal year 2011-'12 showed $196,977; $1.484 million has been collected so far this fiscal year and $2.6 million has been budgeted for the year, showing that 57 percent has been collected.

Last year, for the same period, $1.514 million had been collected out of a budgeted $2.5 million, showing 60 percent had been collected, with January receipts at $222,067.

"We do know that the numbers are down slightly because Chief (Jeff) Dodson has reported the number of runs is down slightly this year," Brock said.

"This may end up being a problem and we need to watch it," said 9th District Commissioner and Budget Committee Chairman Carmin Lynch.

"I think we ought to get some numbers from one of these other companies and see how much they'd do this for," said 7th District Commissioner Mike Harvel.

"I do, too. I think we should check into it," said Johnny Presley, 3rd District commissioner.

"Would you like me to contact a few of them and have them come and give you a proposal?" Cumberland County Mayor Kenneth Carey asked.

"I think we should," Presley said.

"What do you want me to get? I mean do want them to sublease, purchase the fleet? What do you want?" Carey asked.

"Well, I'm not interested in downsizing or anything at all like that. What I want is an apples to apples look at like exactly what we have and see if we can get some lower numbers to run this thing," Harvel said.

"Do you want me to try and arrange for them to come here?" Carey asked.

"Yeah, I think we ought to look at it?" Presley said.

The committee unanimously agreed, without a vote or motion, and requested Carey to have to proposals from ambulance services for the next budget committee meeting.