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County approves ambulance and fire service contracts for Argyle and Millinocket areas
Summary
Commissioners approved a one-year ambulance contract for Argyle with Old Town and renewed Millinocket’s fire and ambulance agreements after staff reviewed town cost reports and negotiated increases.
Penobscot County commissioners on June 3 approved several emergency service contracts covering ambulance and fire protection.
The commissioners voted unanimously to authorize a one-year ambulance contract renewal with Old Town for the town of Argyle; the contract totals roughly $29,008.97 and reflects an increase of about $3,800 from the prior year owing to call volume. Commissioners noted Argyle is one of the busier towns for ambulance calls.
The commission also approved Millinocket’s combined fire and ambulance contracts (separate line items but considered together at the meeting). Staff noted the new contracts reflected documentation provided by the town that showed personnel and call-cost details; the aggregate increase discussed among the parties was about $15,000 for both services combined. Commissioners approved the contracts and asked staff to track future cost changes and consider contract terms to promote stability.
Why it matters: Approving these contracts ensures continuity of emergency medical and fire services for county residents in the covered towns; commissioners discussed regionalization and the difficulty of securing multiyear commitments from volunteer-based providers in the current operating environment.
Next steps: Staff will finalize contract signatures and continue outreach to service providers and neighboring towns about regional cooperation and longer-term contracting options.
