Oak Point council directs staff to pursue city-run ambulance service and orders procurement analysis

Oak Point’s City Council voted unanimously July 17 to direct staff to move forward with establishing a city-run ambulance service, instructing staff to prepare procurement proposals, financing options and a Gantt-style timeline for implementation.

Fire department staff presented three options earlier in the meeting — renew the existing contractor, commission an outside consulting review, or stand up an in-house ambulance service. The council opted for the third option and specifically amended the motion to proceed without an initial consultant review.

During the presentation staff summarized recent call-volume data for June 2023–May 2024 (12,271 total fire-department calls; 760 EMS-related calls, including 466 transports) and outlined anticipated one-time implementation costs. "To be able to implement this in that year we would need the additional $417,000," the fire department representative said, describing ambulance unit and equipment costs, plus three firefighter‑paramedic positions for initial staffing.

Staff explained revenue and reimbursement scenarios for a city-run provider. Under the current arrangement, Denton County reimburses about $700 per ALS call; staff said county reimbursement for EMS‑category calls could fall to roughly $250 if the city bills for services and county classification changes. Staff presented conservative billing-collection estimates (about 25% of gross billed amounts) and an illustrative range of possible net revenues but emphasized those figures were estimates.

Council members questioned timing, lead times and financing. Staff said vehicle build lead times have shortened to about 14–18 months and recommended ordering an ambulance promptly to support an October 1, 2026 implementation target. An illustrative financing option discussed was a seven‑year purchase-finance structure through Government Capital at an example 6.1% interest rate; staff said the vehicle would become the city’s asset at the end of the finance period.

Council Member Bastage moved, with a second, to direct staff to proceed under the in‑house ambulance option (option three) without commissioning an initial consultant review; the motion was amended on the floor to clarify that intent and passed unanimously. Council asked staff to return with a Gantt chart showing major milestones (order, licensing, staffing, and budget placements), draft lease/purchase agreements and the licensing steps required by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to direct staff to move forward with an in‑house ambulance service (option three; no initial consultant): moved by Council Member Bastage, seconded by Council Member Horatio; passed unanimously. - Consent agenda (minutes and a resolution authorizing the director of Public Safety to enter an interlocal radio communications agreement with Denton County for FY 2024–25): passed unanimously earlier in the meeting. - Amendment to Chapter 12, Article 12.03 (primacy/default urban speed limit from 40 to 30 mph to align with state law): moved, discussed and passed unanimously (see separate item).

What happens next

Staff will return to council with detailed procurement proposals, financing documents and licensing steps and is expected to present a timeline that lays out ordering, equipment delivery, staffing hires and anticipated budget impacts so council can make the necessary funding and contract decisions before the existing provider contract ends in late September 2026.

Sources and provenance: meeting transcript, presentation slides and council discussion July 17, 2024 (topic introduction SEG 237; final vote and direction SEG 1040–SEG 1361).