911 Ambulance Contract Proposal Subject of Some Debate

The Effingham County Board's Ambulance Oversight Committee met Tuesday afternoon amid questions as to how the request for proposals for 911 ambulance service was developed.

Three vendors have bid on the service based on the RFP, Rural Med of Fayette County has been recommended by the committee to get the bid, and the County Board is to consider a vote on the contract at their meeting this coming Monday.

The question asked Tuesday and also on Monday at a meeting of the County Board's Legislative Committee was where did the RFP come from? 

The Ambulance Oversight Committee met several times once the proposals were received from Rural Med, Abbott EMS and Lakeside EMS and went through the proposals. The committee prepared questions for the vendors and they reviewed the answers, and the committee conducted background checks on the three vendors.

Some are still asking where the request for proposals came from.

Ambulance Oversight Committee Chairman Rob Arnold said he worked on the document and said others on the committee assisted. Arnold also said that the RFP was taken back to the County Board for a vote on whether to seek proposals. That was approved by the County Board at their July meeting. The development of the RFP began without a public setting. When a media member inquired whether that was the proper practice, and after checking with the Illinois Attorney General's Office, regular called meetings were held from that point. 

Arnold said he didn't proceed until he got the green light from the full Board. He said Tuesday that "no one has the right to say they didn't know what they were voting on."

There are some suggesting that the county would be better served having more than one vendor handling 911 calls, as that would mean better coverage. There are also concerns, though, that there could be competition if more than one vendor handles 911 calls. 

It was also was announced at Tuesday's meeting that Abbott EMS, who is the county's current 911 service provider, and A-1 Ambulance of Altamont have signed a mutual aid agreement. 

A-1 Ambulance's owners include Adam and Elizabeth Huston. Elizabeth Huston is a member of the county board. When talking with Adam Huston after Tuesday's meeting, he was asked whether Elizabeth would be voting on the 911 ambulance contract. He said Elizabeth might not vote, but said she wants to make sure the Altamont area's interests are represented in the vote. Adam Huston also noted that he did not bid on the 911 service contract.