Ambulance Request
Bumped from Budget
In Randolph
By M. D. Drysdale

Reacting to a request from the White River Valley Ambulance for a 41% increase in its financial contribution from the town, the Randolph selectboard last Thursday voted to yank the Ambulance budget out of the town overall budget.

Instead, the request will be offered to voters as a separate article at Town Meeting.

Last year, the Town authorized an appropriation to the regional ambulance service of $159,348. This year the ambulance is requesting almost $250,000.

In addition—and even more alarming—the selectboard agreed to open discussions with surrounding towns and other non-profits, such as the fire departments and the hospital, in case a new alternative must be found.

If voters in the towns of the ambulance district don't approve the 41% increases, the ambulance service might not be able to continue, it was speculated.

"At what point will they decide that they can't keep their doors open?" asked Selectman Dawn Butterfield.

Selectman Larry Townsend began the discussion last Thursday by bringing what he called "a glum report" of he ambulance service's financial status.

Even if the amublance gets an increase in funding from the towns, he said, that new budget doesn't go into effect until July 1, and there are immediate "personnel problems" that must be solved before then. For instance, the service has been operating without an administrator since the departure of Amy Estey several months ago.

Another question, Townsend said, is what comes next, even if the 41% increase is approved.

"Will this solve the problem?" he asked. "Or will they need even more increases?"

"I was not reassured on these points," he said pointedly, referring to conversations with ambulance personnel.

He then made the suggestion to pull the ambulance request from the budget and let it stand or fall on its own—and to explore alternatives.

The idea drew quick response from Selectman Steve Springer. "I agree 100 percent," he commented. "We shouldn't wait; we've known about this (the contribution request) for a couple of months."

"This isn't to undercut them (the ambulance service) but to prepare ourselves for what happens if we don't pass the budget," Townsend said.

The vote to remove the appropriation from the budget was 5-0.

Chairman Jim Hutchinson stressed that there are no complaints about the service coming from the White River Valley Ambulance. "It might be the best in the state," he said.