Hanna holds out on SCWEMS agreement

The South Central Wyoming Emergency Services (SCWEMS) board approved the updated ambulance director’s job description at its June 10 meeting. The board also approved the station manager’s job duties. SCWEMS held a workshop June 2 to discuss the job description and job duties.

Vice Chairman Ken Drain explained to the board that it will take longer to change the bylaws. The board had hoped to complete the bylaws this month, but after review at the June 2 meeting, Drain felt the board needed to spend more time working on the bylaws.

The town of Hanna still has not signed a service agreement with SCWEMS, which is causing concern for the board members.

Town of Elk Mountain Mayor Morgan Irene said he believes the non-action is putting the SCWEMS board at risk.

It is a catch-22 for the SCWEMS board, because they are in the business of providing patient care.

“We have no intention of removing the service,” Irene said.

Language in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) seems to be a point of contention for both parties, board secretary Stephanie Colman told the board.

SCWEMS’ attorney recommended that an amendment or addendum to the MOU is the next step, according to Colman

Currently the town of Hanna is paying the same amount for ambulance services that towns that have signed the service agreement are. Irene said Hanna should be paying a higher rate, if they are not willing to sign the current service agreement.

Colman explained to the board that SCWEMS is legally bound to honor the current MOU until they nullify it.

Irene said SCWEMS has done what they can to try to maintain a service to Hanna, but it is time to let them know if they are not willing to sign the current service agreement, then they should be required to pay a higher rate.

“We need to keep it on a business level,” Irene said.

Irene believes it is not fair to the other communities who are joint power board members pay the same amount as a community that is not a member. Currently the communities are charged by population.

If SCWEMS votes to nullify the MOU now in place, they would no longer have to provide service to the town of Hanna, which is something the SCWEMS board is not willing to do.

“SCWEMS only wants to provide patient care,” Colman said. She had asked the board’s attorney if SCWEMS legally dissolved the current agreement, what could happen. The answer, according to Colman was Hanna would have to pay nothing. Colman asked rhetorically, “is that what the board really wants”.

“I have sat before the town council and told them that this is not personal,” Colman said.

Board member Kelly Ralston asked if the board could ask for arbitration.

Ralston asked if there was anything in the contract that talks about dispute resolution. “I think we have gone way beyond the point of back and forth, where this thing is working,” Ralston said.

“We have lawyers involved,” Colman responded.

The board members discussed how they could continue to provide service for Hanna while at the same time keeping the service equitable between the other communities “without it being a slippery slope”.

Currently, SCWEMS with their attorney on an adendum or ammendment to the MOU with the town of Hanna.

The next SCWEMS meeting is at 6:30 p.m., July 8 at the Saratoga SCWEMS building.