By SHARON KARIS | Norwalk Village Clerk
This response is in reference to Mr. Larry D. Woodliff’s Oct. 1 Letter to the editor. As much as I dislike “debating” an issue via the newspaper, I feel two major issues regarding the Wilton Ambulance topic are being left out of the discussion and should be clarified.
As a person in attendance at the joint meeting held Aug. 30, I can assure you 100 percent of the representatives of the municipalities served by the Wilton ambulance appreciate, support and congratulate them on services performed. The response times are superb, and it is staffed with friendly, well-trained and passionate personnel. Everyone at the meeting supported the need for and purchase of a new ambulance. That was a fact that was stated over and over again by all representatives there.
Two issues arose:
Issue No. 1: The contract that the supporting municipalities have currently signed states, “The Operator (Village of Wilton) is solely responsible for purchasing and providing of all of its operational equipment, which shall conform to all local and State ambulance requirements.”
Therefore, because of this clause, there is no ambulance board or representation from each of the municipalities served. The Village of Wilton makes all of the decisions, as it is their service to operate and to provide.
So, I firmly disagree with Mr. Woodliff’s assertion that it is the incompetence of our elected officials to have been “caught off guard” with assessments, which according to the existing contract does not include language of assessment or provide for representation. The fact that the $3.50 per capita (not $3 that has been quoted incorrectly numerous times) was not raised sooner to give the Village of Wilton all of the needed funds for the new ambulance was in fact the operator’s oversight.
The surrounding municipalities had every right to be “caught off guard.” NOTE: No one in the room was against paying an assessment for this ambulance or future purchases which leads to restructuring of service or at the very least the contract. Which leads to …
Issue No. 2: Timeliness, communication, representation — whatever you want to call it. It is unrealistic for the Village of Wilton to expect an assessment payment to be paid four months from the date of the meeting and from first hearing of an assessment. The extra money has not been budgeted for by the municipalities in their 2015 budgets; however, ALL felt it could be in 2016 and moving forward with a newly worded contract and representation in place (which is currently being worked on).
In closing, I would like to say that I believe we are all very happy the Wilton Ambulance Service is getting a new state-of-the-art ambulance; we feel very fortunate to have this dedicated group among us and wish to continue to support them in any way we can in the future (which includes paying an assessment when needed). We appreciate the Village of Wilton in its tireless efforts of providing this necessary service. Progress is being made on a new contract that will include clauses regarding assessments and representation so as to avoid any such pitfall in the future.
No one was feeling he or she was “being taken by” the Village of Wilton, as Mr. Woodliff stated. All that was asked was timely communication so all could make informed, fiscally responsible decisions for all of their constituents, which makes them very competent elected officials in my book.
