Clarkson Town Board members voted unanimously during their regular meeting November 26 to designate Monroe Ambulance as primary responder for the town.
Clarkson had been in negotiations with the Brockport Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BVAC) since early September after canceling its contract with Monroe in August. But Supervisor Paul Kimball stated before the vote November 26, that Town Board members had looked at all the pros and cons and had come “to the unfortunate consensus to stay with Monroe for at least one more year.”
Kimball said that since switching to Monroe at the end of 2010, it has been a difficult decision each year regarding the issue of returning to Brockport Ambulance as primary responder.
He said Clarkson Town Board members talked with many residents regarding the choice of primary responder and that many residents expressed support for staying with Monroe.
“We have to listen to everyone in the community,” Kimball said.
Board members concurred with Kimball that although the decision was difficult, their choice was the best one for Clarkson.
Town Board member Patrick Didas said he had lost sleep over the decision. “I commend the volunteerism and dedication of the members of the Brockport Ambulance Corps,” he said. “But I feel this is the right decision for the Town of Clarkson.”
Town Board member Allan Hoy said the town had spent two months taking a good look at the Brockport Ambulance. He said the decision was not about the quality of service provided by BVAC, but rather the number of calls in Clarkson.
“It wasn’t an easy decision for any of us,” Town Board Member Christa Filipowicz explained. “It’s not about dedication,” she said, calling the decision, “unfortunate,” but that board members felt there would be better ambulance service “for all of Clarkson going with Monroe.”
Kimball added that the town had concerns over Brockport Ambulance having one available ambulance for all three communities – Brockport, Sweden, and Clarkson – versus Monroe having two ambulances available.
Several BVAC members attended the meeting, some of whom expressed concerns to the board before the vote that by not choosing Brockport Ambulance as primary responder, a spirit of volunteerism in the community could be crushed.
Brockport Volunteer Ambulance President David Rice said he and other members obviously were disappointed with the decision, but that Brockport Ambulance would continue to serve the needs of Brockport as well as Sweden and Clarkson.
“We put forward a strong business proposal to provide service,” he told the Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Hearld. “Our service now is even better in many ways than it was before we got into this situation.”
He said the BVAC would continue to keep in discussions with both towns and announced that Brockport Ambulance had just received its designation from the Internal Revenue Service as a 501C3 not-for-profit organization.
“It’s been a good day/bad day,” he said.
Rice commended the members and employees of Brockport Ambulance for all they have done and thanked residents of the village and both towns for their continued support of a community-based, community-minded volunteer ambulance service.
12/8/13
