By Karen Brainard
The San Diego Union-Tribune
RAMONA, Calif. — Speakers at Ramona Municipal Water District’s Dec. 8 workshop regarding the future of paramedic transport services in the community said they do not want the district to subcontract with a private ambulance company.
Two speakers, however, also said they do not want to pay more for the fire EDU (equivalent dwelling unit) fee that funds approximately half of the Ramona Fire Department’s costs. Property tax revenues make up most of the difference. To raise the annual fire EDU, which has not increased from $188.52 per EDU since it was established in 1996, requires a vote of the people. An attempt to raise the fire EDU in 2005 failed, requiring a 2/3 voter approval, and did not even receive 50 percent in favor, according to the district.
RMWD contracts with Cal Fire to staff fire and paramedic services, and for the 2015-16 year those fees increased about half a million dollars. Now the district is faced with the dilemma of having to replace its three ambulances within the next three years at a total cost of approximately $660,000, reported district staff.
“The sooner the better in this situation,” said Ramona Fire Department/Cal Fire EMS Coordinator Jared Andrade in a presentation to the board. He said the ambulances are approaching the end of their service life and at some point could be a liability.
“One in every three days an ambulance is out of service,” he told the board.
At Station 80 is a 2013 model with 96,000 miles and on average accumulates 35,000 miles per year. Station 81 in the San Diego Country Estates has a 2008 ambulance with 114,000 miles, an annual mileage of 20,000. A reserve ambulance is at Station 82, a 2008 model with 157,000 miles that averages about 10,000 miles per year. All are Advanced Life Support (ALS). The minimum time for one of the ambulances to transport a patient to a hospital is two hours, according to staff.
Andrade noted that in the past, the fire department has relied on Indian gaming grants to purchase equipment but those opportunities are not currently available.
The board was presented with two options:
Option 1 — RMWD and the Ramona Fire Department continue to provide ALS transport services, purchase ambulances and consider how to secure funding with one option putting a measure on the November 2016 ballot to raise the fire EDU.
Option 2 — Subcontracting with a private ambulance company and staffing each fire engine with a paramedic, making all response apparatus ALS, may eliminate the need to purchase ambulances but the provider would set the billing rates, and the fire department could lose revenue generated through ambulance billing.
RMWD General Manager David Barnum said the issue is about “how do you pay for the level of service that this community wants.”
“The level of service we have now is excellent,” said resident Furio Picco, who was one of five speaking at the workshop among the dozen members of the public attending. The district also received a letter from a resident complimenting the fire department that was read aloud by board president Darrell Beck.
Picco, who formerly worked as a paramedic in Riverside County, said it would be worth asking the public to pay more for the fire EDU.
“I honestly value we have local control and local revenue,” he said.
George Boggs, a former water board member, said some people wonder why they have to pay the fee if they never use the service.
“I look at our fire fees as a type of insurance. You hope you never use it,” he said.
Boggs said he never did until a few years ago when his wife had her first stroke, and he lauded the quick response time and skills of the paramedics.
“It’s so important to have good equipment because it depends on the response time,” said Connie Bull, another former water board member.
Bull said she was in “absolute opposition” to privatizing the ambulances or raising rates, and questioned the district’s finances, where the tax dollars and accumulated reserves go.
“With all due respect ... I believe your situation here appears to be tantamount to malpractice management of our funds,” she said.
After another speaker expressed similar sentiments, Barnum said he wanted to remind the board that revenues generated for one fund, such as water, cannot be used for another fund, such as fire.
George Cannon, retired from the San Diego City Fire Department, said the city had used private ambulances and it became quite an operation to track the service. He suggested the district talk to other agencies that have dealt with private ambulances.
With RMWD’s fire fee at $188.52 per EDU, Director Jim Hickle asked how many EDUs are typically charged to a customer. Ramona Fire Department/Cal Fire Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal Steve Foster said the district’s legislative code says it’s based on occupancy and a residence is usually one EDU. If there is a granny flat on a property that would be charged an additional EDU, he said.
Hickle, as well as directors George Foote, Joe Zenovic and Thomas Ace indicated they would like to keep the current service.
Zenovic and Ace noted that costs have increased since 1996 when the fire EDU was established.
“It certainly costs a lot more to transport a person today than in 1996,” said Ace.
He thanked all who attended and said “What I’m hearing from you today is that you do care.”
Beck said he and Ace will discuss the matter more in a fire ad hoc subcommittee meeting and will potentially bring it up at at the next board meeting.
In other business:
▪ Barnum announced that Joe Lomeli has been hired as water operations manager, filling the position that was formerly held by Johnny Brean who retired in May. Lomeli has worked for other agencies and lives in Ramona, said Barnum.
▪ The board approved on consent calendar an amendment to the general manager’s employment agreement that will provide him with a district vehicle, currently a 2008 Ford Fusion, for commuting to and from work and for work activities as a performance reward. Last year the board had removed the district vehicle benefit from the agreement after it gave Barnum a 3.5 percent merit raise effective in April and 3 percent raises in October 2015 and 2016, and increased his severance package to 18 months. According to an agenda memo with the salary schedule, as of January 2016, Barnum’s salary will be $210,579. Barnum has been general manager since October 2011. The board also adopted a resolution approving the classification and salary schedule of employees for 2016. Their four year contract in December 2013 gave them an annual 2 percent raise. Additional information, such as pension contributions, was unavailable as no one at the district responded to Sentinel inquiries.
▪ Also on consent, the board authorized a communications site license agreement with Verizon Wireless for a cell tower site off Calisotga Place near a water tank. San Diego Country Estates Association owns the land but RMWD has an easement on the property.
▪ Following the public meeting, the board met in closed session for conference with legal counsel on existing litigation, Plantier, et al. v. RMWD, and on public employee performance evaluation of the general manager, according to the agenda.
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