Brooklawn weighs shared EMS and public-works contracts amid rising costs

Brooklawn Borough Council members discussed proposed shared-service agreements for emergency medical service coverage and public works staffing during the Dec. 19 work session, with officials urging more detailed cost analysis before long-term commitments.

Mayor Grans said he has been working with Camden County EMS representatives (referenced by name) and with Virtua about shared EMS coverage. A preliminary estimate presented in the meeting showed an increase in EMS-related costs — figures in discussion ranged from roughly $73,000 to $87,000 — prompting councilors to request a clearer breakdown of call types and line-item costs before approving a contract.

For public works, the borough's current shared-services arrangement with Westville covers six positions and related equipment; one speaker cited total annual costs for the six positions at about $440,000. Councilors noted the arrangement provides access to heavy equipment and additional staffing during emergencies but said they worry about committing to multi-year contracts without a close audit of net costs.

Several members favored negotiating shorter terms — a year-to-year or one-year initial contract — to maintain flexibility while staff compile a full cost-benefit spreadsheet. "We can do a smaller contract because...once that happens, pull it back," one councilor said, urging a short-term approach to avoid being locked into high long-term expenses.

Council asked staff to return with detailed spreadsheets showing how shared-service charges are calculated, including call counts that may inflate EMS costs (for example, calls tied to a now-closed plasma center), and to set meetings with neighboring municipalities that share services to explore regional bargaining or alternative vendors.

No votes were taken; council directed staff to gather more data and present options at a future meeting.