Ossipee officials and residents raise staffing, transparency concerns ahead of regional ambulance meeting

Selectboard members and residents at an Ossipee Town meeting on a June evening raised concerns about staffing shortfalls, missed contract obligations and billing practices by the regional ambulance provider ahead of an intermunicipal meeting scheduled in Freedom.

The discussion centered on operational gaps that officials say have left towns without promised ambulance coverage. A Selectboard member said the provider has repeatedly failed to staff second crews and to keep backup vehicles in service; the same member said those shortfalls mean the town is paying for a service that sometimes does not deliver. "They can't staff," the member said, adding that the town has documented multiple transports that required other towns or mutual aid.

Resident Susan McGuire Doyle urged the Selectboard to confirm whether the Freedom meeting—the annual gathering of participating towns—was publicly posted, saying, "Since it's an intermunicipal agreement, I would think it has to be posted." Selectboard members said they would ask the meeting chair whether the meeting had been posted and that at least some towns routinely publish the meeting on their calendars.

Board members discussed contract provisions and possible penalties when the company cannot provide required service. One board member asked, "Isn't it in the contract that when they cannot meet the contract, it's $500 per incident that they can't transport?" That member said they had documented transports and believed the town might have a basis to seek compensation for uncovered trips, but also said they did not have the contract language on hand and could not confirm the exact figure during the meeting.

Officials said Ossipee pays a substantial share of the regional contract. "I did do the figures on how much the company is receiving from the town. It's a lot of money. It's about a million. We're — we're 43% of the whole contract," a Selectboard member said. The board asked that chiefs and town representatives present details at the Freedom meeting so towns can understand staffing, vehicle availability and billing impacts.

Members also described billing complaints that have reached residents in nearby towns: a Selectboard member said the contract specifies that insurance pays for transports and the patient should not be held responsible for a balance, but that in at least one instance a bill went to a patient. The board noted that the regional provider recently changed management, which may explain some inconsistencies in performance and responsiveness.

Board members said they plan to attend the Freedom meeting, expected to include fire chiefs and representatives from Eaton, Tamworth, Effingham, Freedom, Madison and Ossipee. The board urged attendees to keep communications professional and to press for clear public reporting of meeting results. "At least let people know too what's happening with the results of it because that's a huge amount in the budget," one member said, referring to the town's ambulance expenditures.

The Selectboard scheduled follow-up action: confirm whether the meeting is posted, collect contract language about penalties and staffing requirements, and hear reports from fire chiefs and the ambulance provider at or after the Freedom meeting. Resident commenters asked the board to push for more public disclosure of contract terms and billing practices.

Ending The Selectboard adjourned after instructing staff to follow up on posting and contract details and to report back after the Freedom meeting. Board members said they will seek clearer breakdowns of how the regional contract is funded and how missed coverage is documented and remedied.