Streator has about five months to figure out what to do for ambulance service. Last night, a majority on the City Council weren’t ready to commit $400,000 for two ambulances to start a city-owned service. City Manager David Plyman presented it as an early option, because it takes time to outfit an ambulance, get it licensed, hire medics, and set up billing. Plyman says the council’s in charge, so he’ll keep researching the options.
Mayor Tara Bedei was the only one on the council voting for the purchase. Timothy Geary abstained. The others voted no. Plyman says last night’s vote doesn’t eliminate the option for the city to start its own ambulance service. That and all the other options are still there. On the other side of it, buying the ambulances now wouldn’t obligate the city to start an ambulance service. The city would be able to go in another direction and sell the ambulances.
Other options include an ambulance co-op with other communities and contracting with a private company. AMT, the private company running ambulance service in Streator now, asked for the city’s decision by next month. It’s asking for up to $700,000 per year to keep running. Its proposal starts at $400,000 and increases by $100,000 per year over the four-year term. AMT says it’s operating at a loss and can’t keep going with just the revenue it gets from billing patients.