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Council holds $200,000 for ambulance medication pending hospital agreement
Summary
On amendment day the Anne Arundel County Council moved $200,000 from the fire department medication supply budget into CAO contingency to press for a clarified agreement with local hospitals about medication stocking and storage; the measure passed 6–1.
The Anne Arundel County Council voted June 9 to shift $200,000 of the fire department's medication supply budget into the chief administrative officer's contingency account while county staff, the fire department and hospital partners negotiate a longer-term arrangement for restocking medicinals on ambulances.
Councilmember Miss Pickard, sponsor of Amendment 21, said the change was intended to provide the council added oversight after contradictory information emerged during departmental briefings and hospital responses. "We still have some questions about what's going on there," she said, and proposed moving the money into contingency so the department and hospitals could return with a clear plan before the council appropriated the remainder.
The administration, represented by Chris Trumbau, said it preferred no cut but accepted the compromise. Trumbau noted ongoing conversations with the hospitals and said the county values those partnerships; he added that if the funds are needed before the council is satisfied, legislative action could restore the money from the contingency fund.
Mr. Vulki, who pressed for oversight, explained his intent: earlier testimony to the council about the program had proved inaccurate when hospital officials and internal records showed different arrangements, including outstanding invoices owed to a hospital. He emphasized the goal was not to end ambulance medication availability but to ensure accurate facts and a viable, cost-effective model that may include hospitals storing supplies and restocking ambulances.
Council debate acknowledged the urgency of maintaining stocked ambulances; members emphasized the need both to avoid jeopardizing patient care and to correct administrative and communication errors. Amendment 21 passed 6–1; the administration agreed to continue negotiating with hospital partners and to provide the council a pathway to restore funding via a future appropriation bill if needed.
The council's action places $200,000 in contingency pending a clarified memorandum of understanding or operational arrangement between the fire department and hospital systems and asks administration staff to report back with next steps.
