By Jodi Hausen,Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – Selectmen on Tuesday questioned parts of the proposed ambulance contract they have been negotiating with Franklin Memorial Hospital.

Chairwoman Mary Wright read portions of a letter written to selectmen by hospital President Richard Batt after meeting with him late January.

“There will be at least two ambulances and two paramedics on duty during the day. There will be at least one ambulance on duty evenings staffed with a paramedic,” Batt wrote in the Jan. 27 letter.

Currently, two ambulances are in service at night, both staffed with paramedics. Under the new contract, one truck would have staff on duty, the other would have staff on call from home. According to Batt’s letter, the hospital’s intent is to staff the two day trucks each with paramedics and the truck at night with one as well.

Wright wanted a clarification of the definition of “day.” She asked which hours that cover.

She was also concerned about a stated repositioning of ambulances to other areas depending on need, and the composition of the “hand-picked” ambulance board.

Stan Kuklinski, a Farmington resident and selectman’s candidate, said selectmen should “stop, look and listen” to 10 LifeStar employees, Farmington’s current ambulance service, who recently published a letter in the Franklin Journal alerting town residents to a change in guaranteed paramedic service should the proposed contract be signed. The employees represent 142 years of combined service, he said.

“We’ve got to look at what they’re bringing to our attention,” he said.

Selectman Stephan Bunker said he’d like the opportunity to offer more money for the service in return for guaranteed paramedic service and the second on-duty truck at night.

“We’ve got to look at more than money,” agreed Wright. “It’s people’s lives.”

Town Manager Richard Davis said that this option has already been proposed and refused by the hospital.

“Bottom line is the hospital is not going to provide that service,” he said.

Tim D. Hardy, a LifeStar employee, said call volumes in the area have been rising.

“How can we opt to go back?” he asked.

Bunker said he believed hospital officials were sincere in their intent but would like to know what options the town would have should the hospital fail them. The two-year contract states only the option of a three-month notification of termination of services.

Selectman Mark Cayer had concerns about the contract. He said he was not convinced this was the town’s only option, although the current contract expires in June.

Hardy cited the vagueness of the contract. “It’s like buying a car hoping to get the tires afterwards,” he said.

Selectmen asked Davis to look into other options. He said he had and other services were not interested. He agreed, though, to a second face-to-face meeting with Batt.

Meanwhile, selectmen will look to Frank Underkuffler, the town’s attorney, for advice. The proposed contract will be sent to him for comment.