By Malcolm Butler
The City of Ruston Fire Department has been invited back to the table, at least by the Lincoln Parish Ambulance Committee.
During Thursday morning’s meeting at the Lincoln Parish Library, a proposal by committee member Jackie White to invite Ruston Fire Chief Chris Womack and the department back into the discussions passed 7-2-3.
Womack was present at Thursday’s meeting and immediately confirmed that the city would be happy to re-enter the discussions. Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker echoed Womack’s statement.
“The city has always been willing to come back to the table,” said Walker Thursday afternoon. “My only concern is … The ambulance committee voted to bring the proposal from the city to the policy jury once. Are we fixing to go down the same path? We’ve been down this road before, and it didn’t work. Will it work now? I don’t know.
“But we are more than happy from the city’s standpoint to be a part of the discussion. Not only the discussion, but the solution.”
Since the Lincoln Parish Police Jury voted 6-3 against the City of Ruston’s proposal of $645,604 during the July meeting, ambulance committee members have been working diligently to determine what the next best solution would be for ambulance and rescue within the parish but outside the city limits.
A combination of Pafford EMS for ambulance and the Lincoln Parish Fire District for rescue has been the latest model discussed and researched. A price tag of $360,000 a year for Pafford EMS and annual operating costs of $478,000 for the Lincoln Parish Fire District brings the total price tag to $838,000 annually — not including any capital costs.
The Lincoln Parish Fire District Board provided an outline for additional capital expenses of $141,000 in year No. 1, $212,000 in year No. 2 and $87,000 in year No. 3. These monies would cover much-needed rescue equipment for the LP Fire District. Richard Aillet said that the LPFD is researching grants and other ways to offset some of the expenses.
The LPPJ has not yet voted on the Pafford EMS/Lincoln Parish First District model as the Ambulance Committee is still gathering information together, including contracts, communications plans, and financing.
In the Aug. 29 ambulance committee meeting, a number of LPPJ jurors spoke publicly about wanting to invite the city back to the table. And on Thursday, the official proposal was approved along with an amendment for all financials and other pertinent information provided by Womack and the city to be immediately passed on to the 12 police jury jurors.
Womack said during a phone call late Thursday afternoon that the City Fire Department would be ready at the next ambulance committee meeting.
“We are finalizing a contract so the committee can have a true contract when they meet again,” said Womack.
The next ambulance committee meeting is Thursday, Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. while the Lincoln Parish Police Jury meets again Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Womack confirmed that the $645,604 offer that was voted down in July would still be the offer this go around. The proposal would be for a 5-year deal with an annual increase based on the consumer price index for the southwest region.
“Inflation is up this year, but in year’s past it was like 1%,” said Womack. “That’s what our increase would be based on. That way it’s not a nominal number that’s 5% and inflation goes up only 1%. This year it would be higher than that due to inflation.
“It’s whatever that prime interest rate is. That keeps us out of the loop, and it keeps the parish out of the loop. That is set by the United States Department of Labor.”
Womack stressed that he fully supports the Lincoln Parish Fire District and their role within the entire parish.
“I think this committee and (the police jury) needs to be looking at ways to fund (the Lincoln Parish Fire District),” said Womack. “The Lincoln Parish Fire District needs to be doing rescue. I support them. That’s what fire departments do. I would hope there is some mechanism to fund it at some point, and (the city) can get out of the rescue business (outside of the city limits) and just run the ambulance for the parish. That will be up to the jury and the parish fire to come to that agreement.”
In the city’s proposal, the $645,604 proposal does include both rescue and ambulance. The cost would include adding at least six full-time personnel, two per shift said Womack.
“I think now that everybody has had time to review the information, my hope is we have a long-term – not just a five year – but a long-term agreement,” said Womack. “We have been doing it since 1973 for the parish. We want to continue that relationship. Hopefully, Lincoln Parish Fire (District) can get to the point of taking over the rescue at some point.
“We would continue to run the EMS and the emergency EMS and Pafford the non-emergency EMS as they currently do, and everyone keeps moving forward. All of our agencies work well together.”
During Thursday’s vote to request the Ruston Fire Department to come back to the talks with the ambulance committee, the following committee members voted in favor of the proposal: Annette Straughter, Bill Sanderson, Mona Wilson, Jackie White, Reggie Skains, Mike Rainwater, and the Grambling representative sitting in for Tommy Woods.
Abstaining were Charlie Williams, Milton Melton and Richard Aillet. Voting against the proposal were Richard Durrett and Stephen Yeich. Walter Carpenter was absent from the meeting.
The Ambulance Committee will make a recommendation to the LPPJ once the information process is complete.
However, there is little doubt that time is running short with the January 1 date quickly approaching.
