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Council approves three-year Stryker maintenance contract for EMS gear and accepts $10,000 Juneteenth sponsorship; budget adjustment to spend it fails
Summary
Council approved a 36-month Stryker preventative maintenance agreement for EMS equipment at $17,381.65 annually (total $52,000 as amended) and accepted a $10,000 Dollar Bank sponsorship for Juneteenth; however a motion to increase the recreation/entertainment budget by $10,000 failed.
University Heights Council on June 16 authorized a three-year preventative maintenance agreement with Stryker to service ambulances' cots, power-load systems, stair chairs and cardiac monitors/AEDs for an amended contract amount of $17,381.65 per year (total $52,000 over 36 months) pending correction of contract dates. The vote was unanimous.
Fire Chief Perko told Council that Stryker provides comprehensive, factory-certified service and that no local vendor could match the full range of parts and warranty-backed maintenance. He said the Fire Department's EMS-equipment maintenance line currently contains only $30 of the budgeted amount and that an appropriation adjustment would be required to fund the contract for 2025; Council discussed where to find the appropriation and whether a multi-year commitment was appropriate.
Council also accepted a $10,000 sponsorship check from Dollar Bank for the city's 2025 Juneteenth celebration (unanimous). A follow-on motion to take a proposed $10,000 recreation/entertainment budget adjustment off the table failed when Councilmember Winifred Weizer voted "nay" on a motion to remove the item from the table, and the motion was declared failed.
Council members expressed differing views about multi-year contracts and budget priorities. Councilmember Sheri Sax warned about setting multi-year spending precedents amid recent tight budgeting; Chief Perko and the mayor argued the contract preserves operational readiness and locks in rates. The mayor said he was "uneasy" about accepting a sponsorship without an agreed plan to spend it to enhance the event.
What happens next: The Fire Department will work to identify appropriation options for 2025 and return to Council if an adjustment is required. The Dollar Bank sponsorship is accepted; staff or Council may bring a future budget amendment to allocate the funds to Juneteenth programming.
