By Allison Petty
Herald & Review
DECATUR, Ill. — Employees and supporters of Decatur Ambulance Service filled the Decatur City Council chambers Monday night, concerned about a city proposal they said could hurt their livelihood.
Their appearance came in the middle of an action-packed council meeting that also included changes to the city’s noise ordinance and a review of budget and tax levy proposals for next year.
City Manager Ryan McCrady’s proposed 2015 budget, which was made public Friday, contains funding for the Decatur Fire Department to acquire ambulance equipment and began providing some emergency medical transport services. The idea is that the initial investment would pay for itself, and the fire department could collect additional money to pay for capital purchases such as vehicles and equipment.
City officials stressed Monday that the proposal remains in the investigation phase, and that it is not the city’s intention to drive the ambulance company out of business.
David Burkham, CEO of Decatur Ambulance Service, said in a letter to council members that the move would definitely hurt his business, which employs more than 100 people in Central Illinois.
“We’re taking care of our community like we’re supposed to,” he said before the meeting. “We’ve got quite an investment here in vehicles, people and equipment, and anything they do is going to take away from that.”
Burkham said he learned about the potential change in a letter from Fire Chief Matt Sekosky on Friday morning, just an hour before he began receiving questions from reporters who heard about it at the city budget briefing. Representatives from the company and fire department are slated to meet later this week.
McCrady emphasized that even if the council approves the budget, that does not mean the fire department proposal would take effect. The council would still need to vote to amend city code and purchase equipment.
He said he did not speak to Decatur Ambulance Service privately before announcing the possibility because he wanted to provide transparency.
“It would have made (the ambulance service) happier, but would it have made the rest of the public happier if they’d known I was out looking at something privately and not telling them about it?” he said. “There’s no good way to do it. … I think when we start talking about something as big as EMS service, I think the public wants to know first.”
Mayor Mike McElroy assured the employees that he understood their concern, but the council members have not discussed the proposal or come to a conclusion.
“I don’t blame anybody, in the times that we are in, to be worried about your job or anything that happens, but let me assure you that the seven of us sitting up here have not been in any meetings or had this discussion that we’re trying to close down an ambulance service,” he said.
The fire department changes were the most discussed aspect of McCrady’s budget and tax levy proposals, which otherwise met with informal approval from the council. They are likely to vote on the measures Dec. 1.
The $11.8 million tax levy remains virtually flat from last year, though property values are expected to decline 1 percent. If they do, that could lead to an increase of the tax rate. Confirmed figures will not be available until early next year.
McCrady’s $157.6 million budget calls for a city staff of 498 full-time employees. It allows for progress on a number of ongoing projects, including dredging, downtown streetscape work and sewer repairs.
However, McCrady also emphasized that other needs do not yet have a dedicated funding source.
While the city continues to use federal funding to demolish dilapidated properties and enforce codes to help prevent the damage from becoming severe, McCrady said he thought another funding source would be needed in the future to remove those blighted properties and improve neighborhoods.
Funding for street repairs and equipment replacement also remain significant challenges.
In other business, the council approved changes to the city’s noise ordinance after months of discussion.
Residents began appearing in August to protest the punishment associated with the 11-year-old ordinance. It prohibits music that can be heard from 75 feet outside a vehicle, with both the owner and driver facing a $250 fine, or $500 if they are the same person.
Under the ordinance, the vehicle was also impounded until the fine was paid, which drew criticism from residents who said it created a hardship on families.
Council members agreed Monday to change the ordinance so that first-time violators receive a written warning. Police officers are also able to write a citation for violation of the state noise law, though that would be subject to their discretion.
On a second or subsequent offense, violators would face the same fine levels and towing as before.
Councilman Pat McDaniel offered the lone “no” vote. He said he thought towing vehicles was still too harsh for a second offense, and expressed concern that officers writing state citations at their discretion would not provide for consistent enforcement of the ordinance.
Other council members said they thought the changes were a good compromise, as many other residents were concerned about keeping the community quiet.
“We listened to the people’s concerns. I think we adjusted this appropriately, and I think this shows that if you have concerns about things that are going on in the city, bring it up, because change can take place,” said Councilwoman Dana Ray.
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©2014 the Herald & Review (Decatur, Ill.)