EMSA Board Approves 6% Raise for CEO
July 28--EMSA's board has given CEO Steve Williamson a 6 percent raise, six months after a critical state audit took him to task for "unwarranted and extravagant" spending of public funds.
The agency's board also approved an annual budget last month that calls for spending $760,000 on lobbyists, public relations services and consultants while eliminating the first responder fee it pays to the city of Tulsa to reimburse costs for firefighters, records show. That payment totaled more than $680,000 last year.
The raise brings Williamson's total annual salary and benefits package to $250,000. That includes a $202,000 base salary, $7,200 car allowance and $25,142 in retirement benefits.
EMSA trustee Clay Bird, economic development director for the city of Tulsa, said EMSA's personnel committee recommended the raise. He said the board did not give Williamson a raise last year due to an ongoing investigation by the state auditor's office.
"Based on their (committee) recommendation and the fact that EMSA is still a very well run service ... Steve deserved it," Bird said.
The Emergency Medical Services Authority is a government agency that supervises a private contractor providing ambulance service to more than 1.1 million people in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and 14 surrounding cities. The agency has 53 employees in Oklahoma City and Tulsa who perform administrative work such as billing and customer service.
The agency is overseen by an 11-member board, who approved the raises in June along with the 2014 fiscal year budget.
Joe Hodges, a member of EMSA's personnel committee, explained the 6 percent increase makes up for the raise Williamson would have received last year plus an increase for fiscal year 2014.
One board member, Oklahoma City councilman Ed Shadid, voted against Williamson's raise.
"Dr. Shadid stated he does not agree with revisiting last year's increase for Mr. Williamson. He believes the decision was made not to provide an increase for him last year and he feels the audit speaks for itself," the board's minutes state.
Records show most other EMSA employees received a 3 percent raise except for spokeswoman Kelli Bruer, who received a 14 percent increase. Personnel committee members said Bruer's pay was below the market rate for such positions.
Williamson's 6 percent raise comes six months after a critical state audit, which was prompted by a Tulsa World investigation into EMSA's spending and billing practices. The audit reviewed EMSA's spending and operations from 2009 through 2012.
"During the period examined, Mr. Williamson was reimbursed for a number of expenditures that the general public would consider unwarranted and extravagant such as spa goods and services, an American Airlines Admirals' Club membership, and multiple lifetime subscriptions to Sirius Satellite Radio," states the audit, released in January.
The audit also found that connections between Williamson and several contractors could appear to be conflicts of interest. A law firm that has held a no-bid contract for many years with EMSA employed his daughter.
Bird said the collections contract held by Works & Lentz will be put out for bids this year. EMSA and the company are named in a lawsuit seeking class-action status filed in Tulsa District Court by several patients that claims fraud and abusive collections practices.
Paramedics Plus, the company that has held the ambulance contract for 14 years, also paid $25,000 for Williamson to travel first class as head of an ambulance industry association. The payment was not disclosed to the board, records show.
The state audit faulted the board for a lack of oversight, allowing "abusive spending patterns that negatively impact public confidence in EMSA's performance."
The audit found EMSA threw lavish employee parties, including one party at which three retiring employees were given $400 Mont Blanc pens.
Since the World's investigation and audit, EMSA has overhauled its policies on spending, travel and board governance. The board has formed several committees and members say they have worked hard to restore public trust.
Phil Lakin, a board member for the past six months and Tulsa city councilor, said board members have "risen to the task" of responding to the audit.
"I've been very happy with the level of involvement by various board members. We've had a lot to do over the last few months to correct the things that needed to be corrected, getting access to more information ... I think that all has been very necessary."
Lakin said he missed part of the June meeting when Williamson's pay raise was discussed so he didn't vote on the increase. When asked whether Williamson deserved a raise, Lakin said, "I don't think it's fair for me to render an opinion" because he didn't hear the board's discussion.
Personnel committee members based their recommendation for Williamson's raise on market data given to them by EMSA management. It is unclear whether the salaries used for comparison were in the health-care field or if they were government salaries.
Williamson is paid more than the highest-paid city of Tulsa employee, city physician Phillip Berry, records show. Berry makes a base salary of $191,000 a year.
EMSA board members also approved the agency's annual budget last month which calls for operating expenses of $66.4 million in the 2014 fiscal year. The capital budget includes a $2.5 million expansion of EMSA's building at 1417 N. Lansing Ave.
Kent Torrence, chief financial officer, said the project will expand areas for training, maintenance of ambulances and supplies. The building is 20 years old and the number of patients transported has more than doubled during that time, he said.
EMSA transported about 146,000 people last fiscal year statewide.
The budget also forecasts increases in the agency's transport rate and monthly utility fees paid by most Tulsans in exchange for emergency ambulance service.
The utility fee is $3.64 a month and EMSA's budget forecasts an increase to $5.64 per month in 2015. The budget also calls for EMSA to increase transport rates in Tulsa from $1,300 to $1,800 by 2014.
Torrence said those increases will not be necessary under the new ambulance contract approved by the board last week. He said the board will receive a revised budget in September.
The board approved a five-year contract with American Medical Response that will pay the company an estimated $247 million. The contract increases ambulance response times by two minutes, allowing a savings of about $50 million during that period, records show.
Ziva Branstetter 918-581-8306
ziva.branstetter@tulsaworld.com
Copyright 2013 - Tulsa World, Okla.
