Newport City Council approves ambulance contract after debate over budget timing and coverage

The Newport City Council on Nov. 21 voted to accept the city’s annual ambulance contract renewal after a lengthy discussion about timing, coverage and the contract’s implications for the city budget. The motion to accept the contract was made by Mister Vincent and seconded by Mister Robier; the measure passed by voice vote ('Ayes have it').

City Manager Laura Dogen introduced the contract and invited questions. Council members pressed why the council was being asked to approve the contract now when the ambulance service had been included as a line item in the municipal budget in prior years. Councilor Wilson asked whether approving the contract before adoption of the city budget would prevent the council from cutting that line item later in a citywide budget reduction.

An ambulance representative, speaking for the provider, said the service covers Newport, Newport Center and Coventry under contract and responds under mutual aid to neighboring towns such as Derby Line and Orleans. He reported that "out of 1,237 calls thus far this year, there's probably 30 or 40 calls within the whole area that we weren't able to make because we were on a call somewhere else," and added there were "probably 10 times throughout the year" when his crew was transporting someone and the city had no immediate local coverage available. The representative said the provider invoices municipalities and that the contract price is set on a cost-per-capita basis across the three towns served.

Council members asked whether the contract could include a contingency tied to the city's budget approval; the ambulance representative said there is an exit clause but warned that exercising it could mean losing service: "There is a clause in the contract for you to get out of it, but you won't have service." The provider also said guaranteeing continuous coverage would require adding staff, at an estimated incremental personnel cost in the order of a mid-six-figure figure annually.

After discussion, Councilor Vincent moved to accept the contract as presented; the motion was seconded by Mister Robier and passed by voice vote. Council members and staff then discussed logistics for formal signature of the agreement.

The council’s action authorizes the city to proceed with the ambulance contract as submitted. The council did not record a roll-call vote in the minutes of this meeting; the vote was taken by voice.