LISBON
Lisbon is looking for help to pay for its emergency medical services.
Town Councilors Tuesday approved applying to receive aid from the state’s Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services fund to help offset a new cost for EMS services.
Lisbon Emergency previously provided the town will services at no cost, relying upon grant programs to meet its financial needs. Due to rising costs, however, the provider is looking to the towns it services to fill the funding gap.
Lisbon Emergency, which also serves Bowdoin, will be getting funds from both towns in the coming year. Bowdoin voters approved $45,000 in funding, while service based costs in Lisbon would be $127,885.
With the support of Bowdoin, Lisbon is eligible to apply for help from the fund. The grant requires cooperation between municipalities that results in cost savings to residents. Economic and Community Development Director Tracey Steuber told councilors Lisbon would be eligible, because EMS services is a new budget item, another requirement for the grant.
“When I contacted the state, one of the things that came to my mind was to look at EMS,” said Steuber. “EMS is something that has come before the council to have on the budget. It is going be a direct impact on the taxpayer of Lisbon.”
The state has not indicated a clear possible dollar amount for the grant, Steuber said, but she plans to apply for the full cost of EMS services. It’s also unclear when it would be awarded, but she expects a decision before the budget is set in June.
If money is awarded for EMS services, it would be clear at that time the impact it would have on the budget and for taxpayers.
The Town Council also approved the transfer of a police vehicle to the public works department, as opposed to a sale through a closed bid process. The 2009 Ford Focus will be shared by the public works and sewer departments. The vehicle has value to members of those departments, as employees can use the vehicle to attend trainings, fitting more passengers than a department truck.
It was a planned replacement for the police department.
chris@timesrecord.com
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