OXFORD – After hearing proposals from PACE and Oxford Rescue, Budget Committee members requested more information before making a recommendation.
They requested a copy of the final report of the Rescue Study Committee that researched the issue five years ago.
Early in the meeting Tuesday night, committee members asked PACE to make a presentation so Oxford Rescue did not have to reveal a budget with PACE present.
Selectman Dave Ivey noted that changing to PACE could save the community $150,000 to $200,000. Selectman Lois Pike noted her years of service with Oxford Rescue and said she would step down from her seat to speak on the issue as a public member.
“We are here to answer your questions,” said PACE Senior Vice President Patricia Cook, who made the presentation.
Cook noted that there will be no cost to the community for rescue service by PACE. PACE always has a paramedic on board and it has an excellent response time, she said. Committee members raised concerns about staffing, and Cook said they will definitely need to add another 12-hour truck, seven days a week.
Town Manager Michael Chammings noted that Oxford Rescue backs up PACE Rescue and asked how this would be handled. Director of PACE Rob Tarbox noted that the added vehicle would help to cover that, as would mutual aid from United, Casco Ambulance and other services.
Budget Committee member Tom Cushman asked if PACE would be responding from Norway, and Tarbox suggested PACE would investigate basing an ambulance in Oxford.
Cushman also asked whether PACE would be interested in purchasing any of the Oxford Rescue vehicles.
“We certainly could do that,” Tarbox said.
Selectmen Chairman Floyd Thayer said PACE would put an ambulance in the community, be interested in purchasing Oxford Rescue equipment, and possibly hire Oxford Rescue staff. Tarbox agreed, noting that nine members of Oxford Rescue staff already work for PACE.
When discussion turned to how much the rescue service is costing the community as well as how much is written off by rescue for unpaid services, committee members said that an ambulance study committee compared the two services five years ago and asked whether they could see the final report of that committee.
Chammings said he would try to locate one. Pike said she may have one and if she could locate it, she would make it available to the Budget Committee.
“This community needs to make a decision if they want to stick with the people who have been committed to Oxford Rescue since its inception or jump to PACE,” Oxford Rescue Chief Scott Hunter said.
“We are familiar with Oxford,” he continued. “We only cover Oxford, not 6 or 7 other towns as well as a ski area.”
Rough numbers from the ambulance service resulted in an estimated loss of more than $32,000. Committee members asked Chammings for more solid numbers.
They asked the selectmen if the board plans to present the PACE option to voters.
“We were looking at the option because PACE is charging no fee to communities,” Thayer said. “Zero verses some cost amounts to a savings.”
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