By MICHAEL NUNES
Staff Writer
SPOTSWOOD – The borough is considering putting the question of whether or not to keep the borough-owned ambulance service on the ballot in November, according to Council President Curtis Stollen.
“We’re going to get more information so that we have a choice to give [the residents], so it’s our intention to do that in November,” Stollen said after a two-and-a-half hour meeting, which saw residents relieved that the Spotswood EMS was not being abolished.
At the Feb. 17 borough council meeting, four members of the dais voted down an ordinance to abolish the borough-owned ambulance service and threw out all bids to outsource Spotswood EMS. Councilwoman Margaret Drozd, who announced at the Jan. 20 borough council meeting that she had a scheduled vacation, did not attend the meeting.
Mayor Nicholas Poliseno, who has in the past, voiced his support for finding a way of keeping the borough-owned ambulance service, expressed his relief that the ordinance was voted down.
“I’m very happy that council and my office has been working very well this past month to find ways to keep EMS going,” Poliseno said, thanking the council for their vote to keep Spotswood EMS.
At the start of the public comments session, residents stood and applauded the members of Spotswood EMS who were standing in the back of the council chambers.
Residents also expressed their relief that council voted to keep the service, but questioned what the future referendum question would look like.
For Miriam Barbarise, director of Spotswood EMS, the move by the council to keep the service was welcomed, although she feels the need to stay vigilant just in case.
“Tonight was a victory for my department and for the community, but I am approaching that with caution,” she said.
Residents packed the council chambers during the last two borough council meetings that focused on the outsourcing of Spotswood EMS.
“I could see by the turn out of the last two meetings how the residents feel with such a vital service. Our meetings usually have [six or seven people] so it’s great to see everyone come out when there’s an issue that they feel strongly for or against,” Poliseno said.
A request of proposals (RFP) was sent out by the borough late last year and saw two replies in Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) University Hospital in New Brunswick and the Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Cooperation (MONOC). Both were rejected at the council meeting.
Stollen also mentioned at the Feb. 17 meeting that Spotswood may look into a shared services agreement with East Brunswick.
According to borough officials, the move to outsource the borough-owned ambulance service was due to the changes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which left the borough liable to provide benefits for EMTs who worked more than 30 hours a week.
“The future could bring significant increases due to the ACA, which will mainly increase benefits in full-time personnel,” Zanga had said during the Jan. 20 borough council meeting.
According to information provided by the borough, if the borough were to give its full-time EMTs family health coverage with the most expensive option, it is estimated that it would cost the borough $519,242 with a tax impact of $117 a year for residents. If all full-time EMTs opted for single coverage, which is the least expensive option, it is estimated to cost the borough $384,101, with a tax impact of $70.70 a year for residents.
Contact Michael Nunes at mnunes@gmnews.com.
