Council President Robert Dickson said after the meeting that the council transferred ambulance services to AMED to save residents $15,500 a year.

Hollidaysburg American Legion Ambulance Service has been the borough’s ambulance provider since 2003, according to Hollidaysburg ambulance board member and paramedic Jessica Reilly.

Every 10 years, the borough’s ambulance contract is up for renewal, prompting Monday’s discussion.

Before public comment, Dickson said there were many people in attendance that “aren’t even from the borough” after hearing where each audience member resided.

Martinsburg Borough Council President Robert Dickson and Vice President Edward Bennett listen to community members during Monday’s meeting. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow

Despite residency disputes, all of the audience members who spoke were in support of renewing the contract with Hollidaysburg American Legion.

Huston Township resident Linda Robinson said the company is “very good” because they have visited her house a few times for ambulance calls.

She said that first responders “didn’t take real long to get there. They were very kind and knew what they were doing.”

Susan Stern compared AMED and HALAS during her comments.

Focusing on membership costs and services, Stern said that Hollidaysburg ambulance service “does not take financial support from the community, but AMED has.”

Gary Watters, AMED executive director, said he wanted to clarify misinformation by talking about finances, rates and plans provided by both local services.

Serving 23 municipalities, Watters said AMED does not take any tax dollars from any of those areas because they are a municipal authority.

While saying that they have not increased charges for three years, he said their single and family memberships plans are more expensive, but they cover “unlimited calls throughout the year and 100% of your costs.”

After defending AMED to the council, Reilly said the Hollidaysburg ambulance “hasn’t failed this community.”

As this is the first year their contract has received an outside bid, the company’s “service has been consistent” in the community, she said.

“If it’s not broke, why are we going to try and fix it?” she asked the council.

Manager Rich Brantner Jr. said during the council discussion portions of the meeting that the board was “going on the proposals that were submitted by each organization.”

He said that AMED is offering the board “$1,000 a month for rent,” which prompted noises of discontent from those in attendance.

Reilly then said the Hollidaysburg ambulance board “did not know there were going to be formal proposals” made to the council.

“It was our understanding that it basically was a contract renewal meeting,” she said, noting that the council would have seen her again if HALAS had been made aware earlier.

Dickson asked Reilly if the board received the initial request, but Reilly said it was sent to the EMS chief instead of the board.

“The board did not see that letter,” she said, and the board members who made a proposal were under the impression that the council was going to renew their services instead of weighing their options.

Yet, Dickson said Reilly could have used the allotted ten minutes to speak during the meeting to make a formal proposal anyway.

“We did not short change you, we did not blindside you, because you had plenty of opportunity tonight to present your case,” Dickson said.

In response, Reilly said she brought Hollidaysburg’s documentation with her in case the council decides to “reevaluate.”

“I’m fighting for the welfare of our company,” she said,

When the council voted to choose AMED’s services, they were met with negative responses from the crowd.

After the meeting, Reilly said the board’s decision had “nothing to do with the services that we do,” mentioning that AMED is “paying (the council) for their building.”

“I think Martinsburg made a poor decision,” she said, stating that the council should have “involved more of the community with the decision-making instead of unilaterally doing it.”

On the other hand, Dickson said after the meeting that they are both “good companies,” but they thought the decision was in the “best interest for the citizens of Martinsburg.”

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.