Rene, the problem here in Rotterdam is that the Town Board has to do a study on every issue that pops up and that can take up to 5 years to complete, just ask any resident living in Masullo how long the study has been going on over the drainage issue.
We were lead to believe that the town would fund the new REMS to keep it financially sound so that they wouldn't be in the financial dilemma that they now face. This is an election year so voice your opinions loud and clear on this site as this site is read by some of the people currently on the Town Board.
I'd really like to see the finances for the former RVEMC, White Eagle AND Rotterdam Ambulance. I can't see where we always had these problems before, and I can't IMAGINE that giving people who were previously volunteers has actually HELPED the finances of the organization...except if they paid the accountant, which RVEMC's didn't seem to be doing a good job prior.
It would be interesting to know the stats of how many calls Rotterdam takes and how many have to be farmed out to Mohawk. Where can we obtain those stats?
I was just reading some of these posts...wow. To answer the above question, Rotterdam EMS has dropped, on average, more than HALF of their calls. This is an issue I have followed very closely over the last several years and I can tell you all that some of the information your getting seems to be misguided. First of all, former Supervisor Joe Signore did not explore this issue (as stated in the posted Spotlight article) - former Supervisor John Paolino did. One of the things he did was to conduct a series of meetings held at the fire departments around Rotterdam, the purpose of which was to generate public input on the proposal of a new tax district for EMS - as is again being proposed at this time. As you can imagine, most of those who attended were the volunteers themselves, volunteer firemen (who also have their own taxing districts) and primarily those who would have an interest in advancing this proposal. This would include Jim Stairs, a guy who makes a sizeable income for little in return... seriously. The fire departments of course do not want to be subjected to the future possibility of sharing of services, facilities, etc., so naturally, they favor this plan. There was some discussion about putting the measure on a referendum ballot, but of course the interested parties wanted a SPECIAL election, during mid-summer, at a cost of more than $30,000, when turnout would be largely limited to those same interested parties. I personally do not think this measure would pass on a GENERAL ELECTION ballot. Another part of this exploratory phase was the study performed by Dr.(I forget his first name now)Cazalet - a professional corporate re-organizer specializing in medical facilities. Cazalet's analysis revealed that more than half of the volunteer squad's calls were dropped- meaning that for one reason or another, they simply did not respond to those calls, and Mohawk would be summoned. An additional number of emergency calls are re-routed to Mohawk due to Rotterdam EMS's lack of certain advance life support capacities, and the certified professionals to administer such procedures. The Cazalet report also found severe mismanagement issues, which were believed to be at the heart of the squad's financial woes. At that time, the volunteers claimed that for just $17 per year, per resident, they could remain solvent. Again, $17 per year, just a few years ago. As you all probably know, they are now insisting that it will be $25 per year. Herein lies one of the problems in creating this new tax district - they will be free to raise the tax as they see fit. And I can assure you folks that the cost of municipal medical services is astronomical...and rises rapidly. Once the tax district is created, you cannot take it back. If we're going to create a tax for this purpose, (and for the record, I HATE taxes of ALL kinds under ALL circumstances), it should be one levied by the town so it may be left open to repeal. We don't know what will come of the volunteer squad, given their shaky managerial history, so the residents should have an escape should a better option develop at some point in the future. Still, this, in my opinion, is neither a responsible nor a necessary option. As it is, we are essentially paying a "flexible" tax to fund the EMS anyway, as the town has continually bailed out the volunteers - at a cost of as much as $90,000 per event...mortgage woes, supplies, etc. Contracting with Mohawk Ambulance offers nothing but advantages: They would buy the building where an ambulance would be housed and on call 24/7, now making them a property taxpayer. They would hire at least some, if not all, of the volunteers, now making them a job creator. They would have all of the backup necessary in the event of multiple emergencies...Rotterdam EMS does not. They have all advanced life support systems and the personnel to use it...Rotterdam EMS does not. They will respond to ALL calls...Rotterdam EMS does not. Their response times are consistently within the national average...Rotterdam EMS is not. As costs rise, as they are certain to do, the increases are passed on to users of the service and/or their insurance companies...not the taxpayers at large. Additionally, the Mohawk proposal guarantees a minimum annual INCOME to the town of no less than $78,000 per year... a simple matter of revenue vs. expenditure. I realize there is an emotional component in the pro-volunteer service, and I know they do a fine job - when they are there. But again, they would be retained through the employment agreement included in Mohawk's proposed contract...which is renewable and negotiable, and therefore escapable if need be. But if we were to honestly, and objectively weigh the options, the Mohawk proposal is the safest and most fiscally responsible option available.
They would hire at least some, if not all, of the volunteers, now making them a job creator.
I realize there is an emotional component in the pro-volunteer service, and I know they do a fine job - when they are there. But again, they would be retained through the employment agreement included in Mohawk's proposed contract...which is renewable and negotiable, and therefore escapable if need be.
I believe with reading this, I agree with all points except for the one (that you had split up in 2 sections) that I left above. Let me explain WHY I disagree with this point only. Because of the fact that the squad has already turned from RVEMC and White Eagle (the volunteer companies), there no longer ARE any volunteers and they are already paid employees of the ambulance squad. I guess they could all decide, whether it be on a one-by-one basis, or as a general consensus if they were going to agree to a bargaining agreement of some sort with Mohawk.
I just hope that IF Mohawk is to take over the service for Rotterdam that the contract clearly stipulates that at LEAST one of the garages that is currently used (REMS or White Eagle) is mandated to stay active and staffed. I can't tell you how many times this summer I have been down at Jumpin' Jacks with the Ski Team and we see the ambulances coming over the Western Gateway bridge. It's Mohawk, responding to some sort of emergency somewhere in Scotia/Glenville. Now, I don't know if they're contracted just for Scotia or for all of Scotia/Glenville, but I think we would be seeing the same type of thing with response times here in Rotterdam that Duanesburg was seeing with the times when their ambulance was out of commission and they had to have Rotterdam respond.
I believe with reading this, I agree with all points except for the one (that you had split up in 2 sections) that I left above. Let me explain WHY I disagree with this point only. Because of the fact that the squad has already turned from RVEMC and White Eagle (the volunteer companies), there no longer ARE any volunteers and they are already paid employees of the ambulance squad. I guess they could all decide, whether it be on a one-by-one basis, or as a general consensus if they were going to agree to a bargaining agreement of some sort with Mohawk.
I just hope that IF Mohawk is to take over the service for Rotterdam that the contract clearly stipulates that at LEAST one of the garages that is currently used (REMS or White Eagle) is mandated to stay active and staffed. I can't tell you how many times this summer I have been down at Jumpin' Jacks with the Ski Team and we see the ambulances coming over the Western Gateway bridge. It's Mohawk, responding to some sort of emergency somewhere in Scotia/Glenville. Now, I don't know if they're contracted just for Scotia or for all of Scotia/Glenville, but I think we would be seeing the same type of thing with response times here in Rotterdam that Duanesburg was seeing with the times when their ambulance was out of commission and they had to have Rotterdam respond.
Whether they remain volunteer in whole or in part is irrelevant-the TAXPAYERS will still finance what will amount to a black hole...at an even increasing cost, especially when you throw around terms like "collective bargaining"-i.e. ANOTHER PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNION. To answer your question: Because Mohawk will purchase the building, their garage will remain active and staffed 24/7, unlike the current arrangement.
I believe that Jim Mcparlon donates to the democratic machine. Do you want our 'now' county legislatures to take hold of Mohawk like they are planning to do with Ellis? This is a big mistake gadfly. And I really don't care what the numbers add up to. It would be a decision we will come to regret one day!
It also appears that Mohawk knew who to use for their cause. Be careful gadfly...you may just be a pawn in this attempted move on Mohawk's part.Let the towns work it out and figure it out. Mohawk shouldn't need a political spokesperson.
Respectfully, you should just continue on with your successful reform of the conservative party. Leave the ambulance issues to the towns.
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I believe that Jim Mcparlon donates to the democratic machine. Do you want our 'now' county legislatures to take hold of Mohawk like they are planning to do with Ellis? This is a big mistake gadfly. And I really don't care what the numbers add up to. It would be a decision we will come to regret one day!
It also appears that Mohawk knew who to use for their cause. Be careful gadfly...you may just be a pawn in this attempted move on Mohawk's part.Let the towns work it out and figure it out. Mohawk shouldn't need a political spokesperson.
Respectfully, you should just continue on with your successful reform of the conservative party. Leave the ambulance issues to the towns.
Jim donates to both parties. And don't worry - I am nobody's pawn. As I've said, I have closely followed this saga for quite some time. I am only revealing data that has emerged throughout this long debate. I truly understand the desire to keep what we have, but I also know there is a long history of mismanagement, turf wars, etc. that I believe have stifled any efforts at efficiency or financial solvency. I also believe that emergency services are much too critical to leave to trial and error. If a contract with Mohawk does not meet our needs or expectations, we would at least have the options of renegotiation or cancellation of the contract. Creating a new tax is permanent - whether or not it achieves success. I just think we should try what would be a temporary option first - with a company that not only specializes in emergency services, but has a solidly established business expertise that has kept them solvent for many years-especially when you consider that Mohawk is already answering a significant number of emergency calls now. This is only my opinion, but I think it should be put on a ballot for the residents to decide their own fate, and that they should be given access to all of the information available to make the most informed decisions possible. By the way, thank you for your vote of confidence on the reform of the Conservative Party.
As a taxpayer in this town i 100% support REMS...we should do whatever we can to keep this great service
I agree. It's just that we have yet to find successful solutions to their issues over the years. I also think that since these folks would be employed by Mohawk, should we choose that option, the service will remain the same - maybe better. After all, it is the people who work there that make the service great - not who they work for.
Gadfly, you really need to do a bit more research here. All I've ever heard about Mohawk is how their ambulances take forever to get to emergencies. Also, they're a private company, so if you have problems with them guess what: You're screwed. And once you disassemble REMS, there's no putting it back together.
The big problem here is that there are folks in the town(Mertz and Godlewski from what I've heard) who think the same way as you do on this issue. Were REMS subsidized when there was a merger, they would be having none of the problems they're now having.
Gadfly, you really need to do a bit more research here. All I've ever heard about Mohawk is how their ambulances take forever to get to emergencies. Also, they're a private company, so if you have problems with them guess what: You're screwed. And once you disassemble REMS, there's no putting it back together.
The big problem here is that there are folks in the town(Mertz and Godlewski from what I've heard) who think the same way as you do on this issue. Were REMS subsidized when there was a merger, they would be having none of the problems they're now having.
I understand your concerns, Hack. I also hear that Mohawk's response times are sub par, but it's mostly from the parties involved and others who think we should retain and subsidize the service. However, the actual performance reports suggest otherwise. And it is because they are a private company with whom the town would contract that we would be able to opt out if necessary. When you consider that the current EMT's would retain their employment through Mohawk, they are still there if things go wrong. If that were to happen, the town could then buy back the building, or even retain ownership and lease it to Mohawk for the duration of the contract. Then the original Rotterdam EMTs could take over again, and we would have to find a solution for their financing. When they were an all-volunteer squad, they billed patients who actually used the service, but many failed to pay and they simply didn't pursue payment. Again, they are not business managers - and this has always been at the heart of their financial woes. The merger you mention, by the way, took FOREVER - and the only reason it was finally accomplished is because the merger was made a condition of any further subsidies. And those subsidies now, as before the merger, has not resolved the problem with dropped calls. I don't know where Mertz, Godlewski (why does he even matter?) or anyone else stands on this, except for Steve Tommasone. I only know that once you create another unionized municipal service, especially one with the power to levy taxes, you can never take it back. The town would have more leverage over a private company because just like any other private business, standards and expectations must be met to stay in business. That is almost never the case with members of public employee unions-if their performance is sub-standard, there's nothing you can do about them. And if you were to talk to officials in other municipalities who are now struggling to finance this ever increasingly expensive service, they would tell you that they regret their decision to fund their own emergency services - if only because it is simply unaffordable when you consider there is nothing but constant investment, with no return.
I understand where gadfly is coming from. Being a conservative, and the possibility of forming a new tax base, goes against the conservative ideology. From a conservative view, the service should be handled by a private business. Not the taxpayer. But there are times when that sole issue can not be the end all.Rotterdam presently has an ambulance service in place. Does it need some restructuring and some oversight? Perhaps. Then restructure and hold them accountable. Rotterdam also already has a paramedic on staff that supports our ambulance corps.
Lastly, sometimes taxpayers will pay for a service that they are confident in. Most people in this town love the fact that they have their 'very own' ambulance service and want to keep it that way. Believe me, people in this town will pay that extra $25-$50/year for this service. Will costs increase? Of course they will, just like everything else. And they will also go up if we have Mohawk.
I say...put it up for a town wide vote and let the people decide. Rotterdam Ambulance will have to get their act together, cause Mohawk will send out the big guns to state their case. There will be mailers, ads and billboards when and if that time comes.
And just talk to a few Mohawk employees....they aren't too happy!
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I understand where gadfly is coming from. Being a conservative, and the possibility of forming a new tax base, goes against the conservative ideology. From a conservative view, the service should be handled by a private business. Not the taxpayer.
I say...put it up for a town wide vote and let the people decide.
Thank you for understanding that Bumble...and I agree - put the proposal up for a town wide vote.
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