Spotswood EMS to remain in-house
The fate of the EMS may be decided in a November referendum
The Borough Council voted down a proposed ordinance that would have outsourced EMS.
Numerous residents have spoken up in support of keeping the service in-house.
SPOTSWOOD – The borough's proposed plan to abolish its EMS department and outsource it to a private paid service was shot down — at least for now — but the fate of the EMS may be decided in a November referendum.
"What we want to have is what the cost would be for shared services for a full-time provider for EMS, so that we can provide residents the choice of either a shared service agreement or have a full-time department of our own," Council President Curtis Stollen said.
The referendum question has to be decided by mid-August in order to get it on the November ballot, Stollen said.
In response to residents' pleas to keep the EMS service in-house, the proposed ordinance was unanimously rejected by council members at Wednesday's meeting. Councilwoman Margaret Drozd, who was on a scheduled vacation, did not attend the meeting.
Stollen told the crowd that "after I heard public outcry opposing privatization of our EMS, it's given me pause."
"It's never been our intention to want to do something against the public's wishes," he said. "We heard you. I have second thoughts on this ordinance."
The Borough Council came under scrutiny last month after a first reading of the proposed ordinance, which sought to abolish its EMS.
If approved, the proposed change also would have impacted Helmetta residents, who use the service and is now contracting with Spotswood to use the service on a month-to-month basis, officials said.
Spotswood EMS outsourcing plan comes under fire
Council explores EMS options
Last year, the borough put out a request for proposals (RFPs). Two bidders, Robert Wood Johnson and MONOC, responded. Robert Wood Johnson would provide services for $301,000 a year, with no increases for five years, and MONOC came in with a bid of $250,200 for the first year that would increase to $261,000 in year five.
MONOC did not provide additional information and explanations, so they did not fulfill the requirements of the bid, Stollen said.
The council also voted Wednesday to reject the RFPs.
The proposed change was sparked as a result of several issues, including recent changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act.
"A lot of the lower affordable cost plans don't cover transport," Stollen said.
In addition, EMT workers cannot exceed 30 hours per week on average or they must receive benefits, he said.
"Even though we are trying to control that, when they have calls and it's the end of their shift, it's hard to control," Stollen said. "With the penalties that can be imposed, that's an issue."
At the January meeting, Chief Financial Officer Joe Zanga told attendants that there has been a downward trend in EMS revenue — declining from about $471,395 in 2011 to about $308,670 unaudited in 2015.
Typically, municipalities do not generate revenue in excess of expenses when it relates to public safety, Zenga said.
"You have to look at providing the best possible service in the most economical fashion," he said.
The appropriation side has been relatively level, although the future could bring significant increases because of the Affordable Care Act, he said.
Borough Council to decide fate of Spotswood EMS
According to a handout distributed at the meeting last month, based on the 2014 budget, the average tax increase for property owners in the borough should RWJ take over is estimated to be about $42.04 a year.
The net cost after anticipated revenue to give full-time EMTs family health coverage is estimated to be $519,242, with an average tax increase to property owners of $117.29 per year, Stollen said. The cost for single health insurance coverage is estimated to be $384,101, with an average tax increase to property owners of $70.70 a year, he added.
The EMS figures are based on a full-time director and six full-time EMTs, with part-time per diem employees to fill in, Stollen said.
"The in-house figures only show the immediate cost involved, not the pension impact that would be felt two years after the full-time hirings," the council president said.
Residents rally for in-house EMS
But borough residents, as well as those from nearby communities, took to the podium to express their disdain with efforts to abolish the borough's EMS. Many questioned why the issue was not put to a referendum.
Mayor Nicholas Poliseno also spoke out in support of the squad.
And the council responded by rejecting the ordinance.
The mayor, as well as residents, thanked the council for its decision at Wednesday's meeting. .
"I am glad that you said you were going to put it on a ballot," borough resident Jackie Palmer said.
She also questioned the existence of a feasibility study that was referenced in the proposed ordinance.
"We did do a study," Stollen said. "We did not hire a consultant to do the study. No we didn't have a sheet of paper that said feasibility study, but we did a feasibility study. That was the financial document and educating ourselves on the facts and the details of what is happening. We have issues with EMS, and the administration has promised us they will tackle these issues."
Borough resident Dean Sliker asked about the status of contract negotiations with the EMS union. Other residents questioned the status of the EMS facility, which has been out of commission because of flooding.
"The EMS building, regardless of what way we were going, is still being rebuilt," Stollen said. "We already are doing the remediation. We have the architect's plans finalized."
While Stollen said the fate of the EMS has been a topic of discussion for quite some time, some residents said they felt they were kept in the dark.
In response, Palmer suggested that the currently inactive Human Relations Council be resurrected as liaison between the council, the mayor's office and the community.
EMS Director Miriam Barbarise thanked her staff for their dedication and hard work and the community for their support.
She also thanked the council and mayor for giving the department "a second chance."
"We will prove ourselves to be a better and stronger department," she said. "As a department head, that is my job, to make sure that I have a good, strong staff, which I do have right now. I have a great staff that works pretty much every day. They come in and they do their job. I am going to continue to make sure that they do everything to the best of their ability. I will build a better department — something that this town has never seen."