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Lisbon Emergency warns council that recent stipend cut could force staffing cuts, urges reconsideration
Summary
Lisbon Emergency told the council that a reduction in the town stipend will create a significant budget shortfall that may force cuts to ambulance staffing and could prevent the service from signing a renewed contract; the agency urged a multiyear agreement to secure grants and staffing stability.
Lisbon Emergency Chief Amy Calle told the council that a recent reduction in the town stipend will likely force the ambulance service to cut staff shifts and could make it fiscally impossible for the organization to sign a renewed contract when the current agreement expires on June 30, 2026.
"If Lisbon alone attempted to maintain the same level of EMS coverage without the shared structure currently in place with Bowdoin and Bowdoinham, the cost to the town would exceed our requested budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars annually," Chief Calle said, describing the service’s operational model and the heavy call volume (about 1,700 calls in 2025). She said Lisbon Emergency’s board met and concluded it could not sign a contract under the reduced stipend.
The presentation said the board expects payroll to be about 75% of the organization’s budget and described a projected net loss that would require cutting shifts. Calle urged the council to consider either restoring funds or pursuing a multi‑year contract; she said Bowdoin and Bowdoinham had signaled they would seek at least a three‑year term.
Councilors expressed concern and asked staff to research appropriation options now that the budget has been adopted. The chair committed to a June 23 workshop with department heads, the fire department and Lisbon Emergency to sort roles, timelines and options for securing additional funding. "I'll take that as an action item with Sarah," the chair said when assigning follow up to the town manager.
Lisbon Emergency also warned that year‑to‑year contracting has reduced its ability to pursue some grant opportunities and undermined long‑term planning; the organization described prior efforts to remain fiscally lean (remounted ambulances, securing grants) but said ongoing instability threatens service levels.
The council did not take immediate formal action to change the adopted budget on May 19; members asked staff to report back on legal and budgetary options for appropriating more funds and indicated the matter will be a focused agenda item at the June 23 workshop.
