Either way, where ambulances are located and how they are dispatched (based on proximity to the emergency call) will not change, county staff said. Merely how much money Holly Springs gains from the county to operate the ambulance would change. The town council is to consider the issue at its March retreat.
“You as a citizen, wherever you may be, get the ambulance that’s nearest to you,” said Brent Myers, director of Wake County’s EMS, at the meeting.
When, in 1998, Holly Springs approached the county commissioners about provision of ambulance service, the county agreed to provide a paramedic aboard a town ambulance at no cost in a one-year agreement, Myers said. However, at the end of the year, he said no reevaluation took place, and the county is paying for the paramedic’s salary in Holly Springs and nowhere else.
While Holly Springs is estimated to gain more than $326,000 annually for ambulance service, of that amount more than $177,000 would be retained for the county paramedic, leaving $149,000 for town operation of the ambulance, which includes a staff and maintenance on the vehicle. The Holly Springs Fire Chief said he had no preference on the issue.
“We’ll make it work either way,” he said.
As part of his presentation, Myers showed response times to Holly Springs households. The average county EMS response times to non-emergency calls was 15.22 minutes; in Holly Springs it was 12.32 minutes. The average county EMS response time to emergency calls was 12.19 minutes; in town it averaged 12.05 minutes.
Myers said he would be able to negotiate transferring ambulance service to the county without any Holly Springs employee losing a job.
The council is to reexamine the issue at its March retreat; any changes would take effect July 1. Later that evening, the council received a quarterly financial report, including information about adjusted figures resulting in an accounting error. A $1.22 million bank deposit from earlier this year went unreported in budget status reports, and because of the misinformation, “it appeared that the town was facing a budget shortfall and that the tax collection rate was about only 82 percent; however, this was never actually the case,” a town document said. Staff explained new checks in place to ensure similar errors would not happen in the future.
“Everybody misses one once in a while,” said Councilman James Cobb.
The town attorney updated council members on measures the town is taking to prevent a group home that recently was the site of an assault from reopening. The town is to revoke zoning authorization for the home, the attorney said, because the type of home that was operating was misrepresented.
As part of its consent agenda, the council approved a change order providing an extension of time for completion of the Green Oaks Parkway four-lane project and increasing the contract amount by $15,525. The council also approved a state Department of Transportation reimbursement agreement for the parkway project. Because of the agreement, the town may receive more than $3,000,000 from the state Department of Transportation for the Green Oaks Pkwy. project this fiscal year rather than in the 2012 fiscal year.
The council amended the parks and recreation facility rental schedule for the cultural center to include a rate for expos – $50 per hour with a minimum four-hour rental. Before, no fee existed for an outside vendor to host or produce a trade show, expo or exhibition without charging the vendor the private event rate, “which seems to be on the high side and might be considered a deterrent to a potential rental,” a town document said.
Also, the council amended a contract with CH2MHill for data to support continuing discharge into Utley Creek and approved annexation of about 1.94 acres located at 9008 Turner Dr.
The council appointed Bryan Stempowski to the Board of Adjustment, replacing a vacancy left by Robert Goldfinger, who resigned due to business conflicts. The term expires Dec. 31.
During the meeting’s public comment period, a resident requested an amendment to the current animal ordinance, asking that the ordinance would allow backyard hens in Holly Springs. He cited other local municipalities that recently changed ordinances to allow hens and spoke about the benefits of hens including eggs, insect control and organic fertilizer. Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears instructed the town attorney to investigate what would be involved and said a decision would be made within the next couple meetings.
The council also recognized two local youth athletes who placed first in athletic competitions that spanned both North and South Carolina. James Morton placed first in the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition for the Carolina Panthers team market in the age 8-9 division. Jerod Rundle placed first in an NBA fitness challenge that included fitness and basketball activities in the Charlotte Bobcats market.
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