Township considering ambulance costs

By DAVID HULSE

LACKAWAXEN — Whatever the solution to the township’s ongoing shortage of ambulance volunteers, it is likely going to be resolved without any outside professional help, Supervisor Brian Stuart said on November 21.

Lackawaxen had been considering the use of paid, professional emergency services contractors, but Stuart said that Rural-Metro, the firm under consideration, is now withdrawing from new contract agreements with municipalities. Township ambulance and professional services representatives met to discuss the issue on November 15.

As an alternative, Lackawaxen Volunteer Ambulance Service officials are considering paid stipends, of possibly $30 per call to on-call crew members.

Stuart said the service, not the township, was funding the stipend. The township is expected to fund expanded workers-compensation insurance costs related to the volunteer-to-paid move. Township costs would double from $1,600 to $3,200 annually.

Ambulance officials have been invited to attend a 7:00 p.m. December 13 township workshop scheduled with Lackawaxen’s four volunteer fire companies.

Meeting last Wednesday, the township supervisors received three applications for a vacant planning commission seat from Robert McDevitt, Denise Prohidney and Robert Cocchi. They scheduled December 19 hearings, beginning at 6:15 p.m. for two conditional zoning use applications, followed by a 7:00 p.m. public hearing on an ordinance to amend the township “Cell Tower Ordinance.”