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Council seeks legal guidance before restoring $65,000 to Lisbon Emergency Medical Services
Summary
The council expressed a desire to restore roughly $65,000 cut from the adopted budget to Lisbon Emergency Medical Services but requested a formal legal opinion and an updated revenue forecast; staff will return with options for a supplemental appropriation or other mechanisms.
Lisbon Falls councilors said they want to restore funding to Lisbon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) but asked staff and the town attorney for a clearer legal path and updated revenue numbers before taking formal action.
The chair summarized charter provisions covering budget amendments after adoption, including supplemental appropriations if excess revenue is anticipated and emergency appropriations for threats to life, health or property. Councilors discussed whether the town could reallocate savings or delay other appropriations to cover roughly $65,000 needed to restore EMS funding; several asked that the town attorney provide written guidance on permissible transfers, emergency-appropriation authority and timing.
"Section 6 of the charter ... spells out options: supplemental appropriation if you anticipate excess revenue; reduction if you anticipate less revenue; emergency appropriation if there's an emergency affecting life, health, property or public peace," the chair said.
John Kors, speaking for Lisbon Emergency, said the group's current contract runs through June 30 and that service will continue, noting that Lisbon Emergency invoices quarterly and maintains reserves in case of payment timing issues. Kors said the provider could accept staggered billing if the council preferred to balance cash flow through the year.
Councilors agreed on the policy goal of restoring EMS funding but asked for a formal legal opinion and up-to-date revenue numbers from the finance officer before any appropriation. Staff agreed to bring a fuller legal analysis and financial update at the next meeting or a possible June 15 special meeting.
What happens next: the council directed staff to obtain a formal legal opinion about options for restoring EMS funding post-budget adoption and to provide an updated revenue forecast; if revenues are sufficient, the council indicated it intends to consider a supplemental appropriation at the start of the fiscal year.
