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Dobbs Ferry trustees approve temporary reimbursement support of up to $10,000 a month for volunteer ambulance amid consolidation talks
Summary
On July 15, 2025, Dobbs Ferry’s Board of Trustees unanimously authorized up to $10,000 per month in temporary, reimbursable support to the Diversified Volunteer Ambulance Corps as it pursues consolidation with Irvington, with monthly oversight and a public progress report due Sept. 9.
Dobbs Ferry’s Board of Trustees on July 15 approved a resolution to provide temporary administrative and financial support to the Diversified Volunteer Ambulance Corps, not to exceed $10,000 per month, while the volunteer service negotiates a potential joint venture with the Irvington Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Trustees said the funding is emergency, short-term support designed to stabilize an ambulance service they said is running a thin cash balance while it pursues consolidation. An official who has worked on the issue described the corps’ monthly “burn rate” as roughly $10,000–$15,000 and said sharing overnight shifts with Irvington could cut per‑diem costs substantially.
The board built accountability measures into the action: payments will be made on a reimbursement basis for documented payroll claims, the village attorney will draft the agreement, and trustees asked for monthly data tracking and a public update at the Sept. 9, 2025 meeting. The motion, made during the meeting and carried unanimously, instructs the village attorney to execute the agreement and caps support at $10,000 per month.
Trustees repeatedly framed the vote as a temporary measure tied to a longer-term goal. "The goal is to consolidate with the other ambulance corps," the meeting chair said, urging trustees to treat the funding as a bridge to a combined Rivertowns ambulance organization. Several trustees urged immediate sharing of overnight shifts as a condition of continued assistance; one trustee noted estimates that overnight-sharing could reduce per‑diem costs by roughly half.
The village attorney, speaking during the discussion, cautioned that direct donations could be constitutionally impermissible and stressed the need for a reimbursement structure and strict documentation. The board directed staff to require payroll and expense records for claims and to allow the trustees monthly opportunities to approve or deny claims.
The resolution passed unanimously. The board recorded a deadline for a public report on progress toward consolidation at the Sept. 9 meeting.
