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Pa. Officials Scrap Private Ambulance Plan
WILKES-BARRE -- Mayor Tony George's administration has abandoned efforts to privatize the city's ambulance service "at this time" because of provisions in the union contract covering city paramedics, the city's open records officer said in response to a Right-to-Know request filed by The Citizens' Voice.
Months ago, George acknowledged he was reviewing proposals from several private companies seeking to take over the city's ambulance service, currently operated by the city fire department and its paramedics.
The Citizens' Voice sought copies of the proposals, but the city denied the newspaper's request, claiming "no responsive records" exist.
"While the city did receive proposals, the same were not solicited by the city. Accordingly, the city disposed of the proposals as they were not connected with a city transaction, business, or activity and therefore not a city record," wrote Margaret Sharksnas, the city's open records officer.
The statement contradicts the position of at least one company that submitted a proposal, Commonwealth Health Emergency Medical Services, or CHEMS.
Renita Fennick, a spokeswoman for Commonwealth Health, on Wednesday confirmed what she said in April, that Commonwealth Health submitted a proposal "only after it was requested by Mayor George" and after "another company had already been approached."
Trans-Med Ambulance, which George controversially named as the city's primary backup service in March, also submitted a proposal.
A spokesman for Trans-Med did not return a message requesting comment on whether George solicited its proposal.
George did not respond to a request for comment left with a staffer.
Tom Borum, business manager for the union representing the city's eight paramedics, said the administration also told him the proposals were thrown away and no longer available for him to review.
"That's the same information I got when I asked about it," said Borum, the leader of Laborers' International Union of North America, Local 1310.
Borum said it's the union's position that the current contract for city paramedics prohibits privatization.
"I imagine they could try to negotiate it away, but that's not something we would be interested in," Borum said.
The city referenced the union contract issue in its Right-to-Know response.
"At this time, the city cannot consider privatizing ambulance service due to a collective bargaining agreement with Local Union 1310," the response says.
City Administrator Ted Wampole confirmed privatization is no longer on the mayor's radar.
"That's not on the table," Wampole said.
Wampole said the mayor reviewed privatization proposals from outside companies, but his main goal was to address the backup ambulance situation.
In March, George scrapped a mutual aid agreement with nonprofit ambulance companies in three neighboring municipalities and made Trans-Med the primary back up to the city's two ambulances.
Borum hopes the administration keeps the ambulance service it has now.
"Our paramedics are all city residents that are highly trained, highly educated and do a fantastic job. We want that to continue," Borum said. "We believe we are the best option."
570-821-2055, @cvbobkal
©2016 The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
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