Ambulance talks continue

The city and hospital district came together again on Tuesday to discuss the future of Sundance’s ambulance service. However, the work session saw little in the way of solid progress.

The Crook County Medical Service District Board of Trustees was recently asked by Council Member Joe Wilson to consider a proposal for the city to charge rent on the building that houses the ambulances. Though the board agreed to bring a response to Tuesday’s council meeting and several representatives were in attendance, the topic was ultimately not broached.

Instead, the conversation, led by Mayor Paul Brooks, centered on how the future of the relationship between the two entities should look.

Board Chairman Mark Erickson approached the podium to express that there appears to be a “little bit of confusion on the part of the board” as to what the city wants for the future of the ambulance service. He appeared to be referring to the fact that, at last month’s council meeting, no mention was made of rent on the building; it was first suggested when Council Member Joe Wilson attended the board’s meeting on behalf of the city later that month.

Brooks responded by describing the history of the ambulance service in Sundance. Years ago, he said, the council decided it was important to the community to make it happen, but it has now become difficult to understand where things stand and the ambulances have become “a black pit of money” as services often do.

Repeating information that has been covered at several recent council meetings, Brooks stated that, unlike in surrounding communities, Sundance has never handled service or billed patients for use of the ambulances, allowing the hospital district to keep all revenue. The Sundance service thus does not support itself by generating revenue.

He reiterated that, unlike in those surrounding communities, the city’s ambulance service is used for transfers to other hospitals in places such as Gillette, Spearfish and Rapid City. It also responds to calls outside the city, he said.

However, he said, a person who lives a quarter mile outside town can make use of the ambulances without being responsible for paying a share of the cost of that ambulance. That’s “a tough one for those of us who live here to swallow,” he said.

“It is not my desire to put hardship on the hospital, we’re looking for a more equitable deal,” he said. “Our revenue is pinched pretty hard also.”

Purchasing a new ambulance on behalf of the district is a possibility, said Brooks, but he would like to go down the road of asking the state if there is grant funding available. He reminded the board that the city is not willing to write the grant but will work with the district to check the paperwork over and present the grant to the state.

“We want to work with you and I don’t want you guys to ever get the impression that we don’t,” said the mayor, stating that there is time to figure out a new arrangement before the fiscal year begins.

Brooks repeated that there is time to work on the issue before the next fiscal year. He spoke to the idea of all parties working together, stating that it’s easy to forget that everyone is on the same side and gets along on almost everything and calling for all parties to “not get disenchanted” when they disagree about a couple of things. When Erickson seemed confused as to what disagreements he was referring to, he did not give a specific example but mentioned not causing strife with other ambulance agencies in the county.

He also again said he would like, as a group, to approach the county commissioners. As the service is for county residents too, he said, they are also stakeholders.

Erickson stated that the board of trustees will return to the council with some proposals as to how the agencies can work together and what would be involved.