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HUNTSVILLE — Following a review of maintenance costs over the past year, County Commission’s Emergency Service Committee has voted to purchase three new units for the Scott County Ambulance Service.
That action came Monday evening during the Commission’s monthly work session at the Scott County Office Building.
The Commission has already approved the purchase of two new, fully-equipped ambulances at a cost of approximately $180,000 in its regular rotation schedule, but Monday night’s vote was aimed at curbing $40,000 to $50,000 annually in maintenance costs on other units in they fleet.
Ambulance Service Director Jim Reed pointed out that removing three of the service’s Chevrolet models, but keeping the “boxes,” could result in eliminating much of the maintenance costs.
He proposed that three units be taken off the road, and be replaced with 2010 Fords, which could be acquired for around $27,000 each. The two new ambulances already approved for purchase would come complete with new boxes, as well.
After a detailed review of a spreadsheet showing the maintenance costs, mileage records and other expense-related details about the fleet, committee member Gerry Garrett made a motion to allow Reed and County Finance Director Keith Jeffers to work up specifications and solicit bids for the new units. His motion carried by an all-aye vote of the committee.
The measure awaits final approval by a vote of the full Commission, which will meet in its regular monthly session on Monday, November 16., beginning at 6 p.m.
The committee also discussed but took no action Monday on Reed’s request to purchase laptop computers and software to enable the service to do electronic run sheets and billing in the ambulance upon completion of each run.
The committee members did agree, however, to host representatives from a company which specializes in handling electronic data directly from ambulances in order to expedite billing and record keeping for emergency medical services.
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