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Litchfield EMS committee orders budget split, weighs consolidation of local ambulance services
Summary
At a July 13 special meeting, the Interlocal Emergency Medical Services Committee heard from members about falling call volumes, volunteer and staffing shortages and revenue pressures; the committee agreed to draft a phased budget separating fixed and variable costs and to explore consolidating LVA and Bantam into a single entity, with follow-up due Sept. 14, 2026.
The Interlocal Emergency Medical Services Committee in Litchfield on July 13 discussed declining call volumes, volunteer and staffing shortages and revenue shortfalls that members said are straining local ambulance services. Maggie Noonan, chairman, called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM in the first selectman’s office at Town Hall.
Committee member John Pudlinski outlined the problems the town is facing, saying the issues include a drop in call volume, a lack of volunteers, concerns about staffing and "inconsistent and unreliable" assistance from outsourced employees, along with revenue and budget pressures. The committee agreed to pursue a phased approach to better isolate fixed costs — such as ambulances, infrastructure and supplies — from variable costs like employee compensation and benefits.
As a next step, Pudlinski and committee member Ryan Litwin were directed to meet and draft a fixed-and-variable budget for the committee to review at its next meeting on Sept. 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM. The committee also discussed the possibility of consolidating the LVA and Bantam services into a single entity that would remit revenues to the town and have remaining budgetary expenses covered through the town budget; no formal motion or vote to enact consolidation was recorded.
The minutes of the May 27, 2026 meeting were tabled until the next session. Attendance at the July 13 meeting included Noonan, Pudlinski, Scott Pottbecker, Jon Torrant, Tom Weik, Ryan Litwin and Denise Raap, with Dan Morosani participating by phone; Fred Rosa was absent. The meeting adjourned at 7:10 PM.
The committee’s direction to produce a separated fixed/variable budget and the exploration of a consolidated service model set the stage for more detailed fiscal analysis and possible substantive changes to how local ambulance services are structured and funded; those proposals will return to the committee for consideration in September.
