THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 6, 1994 TAG: 9407020198
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA McNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The Windsor Volunteer Rescue Squad may not vote on purchasing a new ambulance for at least another month, which means that the controversy over the purchase will continue.
The squad is due to hold its regular meeting July 13, said Phillip Bradshaw, a member of the Citizens' Advisory Committee.
But the citizens' committee and the squad's vehicle committee failed to reach a compromise at a meeting last week. And the vehicle committee, Bradshaw said, has agreed to put off voting on the purchase until several issues can be resolved.
``You have to sit down and ask questions. It will work out,'' Bradshaw said. ``But we didn't reach any conclusions. There will be no vote unless we can get back together with the vehicle committee before the next meeting.''
The controversy started when squad members agreed to purchase the new ambulance from an out-of-state company. The decision brought outraged merchants and citizens to the squad's June meeting.
The citizens wanted to know why Robinson Ambulance, just a few doors down from the squad, had been overlooked when the local company's price was several thousand dollars under the competitors' bid and Robinson had built ambulances for rescue squads, hospitals and medical transport companies throughout Hampton Roads.
In addition, citizens said, two out-of-state companies were given weeks to come up with bids, while Robinson had just a few days to submit a price.
The questions raised were enough to persuade squad members to rescind their vote, apparently illegal anyway since it wasn't taken at a regular meeting. The organization's bylaws require that major purchases be voted on during regular meetings.
Some citizens threatened to withhold financial support from the squad, financed primarily by private donations and town and county funds.
Since then, the Citizens' Advisory Committee has stepped in, hoping to resolve the differences between the town and the squad. Both the Windsor Town Council and the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors have taken the side of the citizens, writing letters to the squad urging members to support the local company.
Just before meeting with the vehicle committee, the advisory committee last week sponsored a town meeting aimed at better understanding citizens' concerns.
``If there is not a dime's worth of difference in the ambulances, then why would we spend $7,000, $8,000 or $9,000 more to buy one in Indiana?'' asked Carolyn Griffin.
Bradshaw said he hopes that all the concerns will soon be resolved, but he did not know if that could be done in time for the squad to vote on the ambulance purchase at its July meeting. by CNB