THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 26, 1994 TAG: 9408260644
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA McNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
The Windsor Volunteer Rescue Squad, locked in a battle with the county and the town over the purchase of a new ambulance from an out-of-state dealer, has been hit with another financial blow.
The county earlier this week stopped payment on a check, payable to the rescue squad, for about $20,000 that represents capital funds left over from last year, Isle of Wight County Administrator Myles Standish said Thursday.
The check also included some state funds - about $5,000 - the squad was due, but that amount was returned to the squad, Standish said.
The squad had left the check collecting dust at the courthouse until about two days before the county supervisors voted last week to suspend funds to the local volunteer squad until the ambulance squabble could be settled. The squad's treasurer picked up the check, but the money wasn't good for long.
Now the squad won't get the capital funds from last year or the $29,000 earmarked for the new ambulance in the county's current budget. Combined, the money could almost pay for the $59,000 ambulance that squad members voted, 8-7, earlier this month to buy from a dealer in Indiana.
The battle started months ago, when the squad first agreed to buy from the out-of-state dealer rather than a Windsor ambulance dealer. That first vote was rescinded after businessmen and residents wrote to the squad and began attending squad meetings to urge members to ``buy local.''
The controversy seems to center on when the ambulance could be delivered and the fairness of the bidding process. The out-of-state ambulance, a 1994 Ford, would cost $59,993. The local dealer wants $58,875 for a 1995 Ford. Squad members who voted to buy out of state continue to decline to answer residents' questions about why they favor the Indiana dealer.
The squad, which is not subject to the Virginia Procurement Act because it is a private organization, is funded primarily by the county, the town and private donations.
First, the town council voted to withhold $5,000 in funding. Then a number of residents vowed not to support the squad if it went through with the out-of-state purchase. The supervisors struck the third blow last week with their unanimous vote to suspend funding.
The office of Emergency Medical Services in the Virginia Department of Health has said that local government has no authority over the squad's policies, but that funds can be withheld. Scott Winston, who heads the EMS division, said he has received complaints from citizens objecting to a comment one squad member made to Windsor's vice mayor at a meeting.
``The implication was, `If a call comes in from your residence, we won't respond,' '' Winston said. ``It was inappropriate, but unless he actually carries out the threat, there's nothing we can do. There are certain standards of conduct we expect, but unless he does withhold care, there is nothing in our regulations that allows us to do anything about it.'' by CNB