Treutlen commissioners chart course for new ambulance, meetings

The Treutlen County Board of Commissioners established paths forward for the acquisition of a second ambulance and future town hall meetings during their regular meeting on Oct. 5 in Soperton.

County Manager Joseph Glenn first proposed adding a second ambulance on June 1. Under the current contract with Atrium Health Naviscent, Treutlen County only rents one ambulance.

Glenn presented the board with three options to raise the number of ambulances in the county up to two.

The first option would be to bring on the ambulances through Atrium Health Navicent EMS, which already provides the county’s current ambulance. According to Glenn, this would be the easiest method, utilizing pre-built rapport and eliminating staffing concerns, though everything would be handled by third parties.

The second option would be to purchase two ambulances with 2019 SPLOST funds and hire medics to operate them. While reintroducing staffing concerns, this option would place the entire operation in-house and offer the county greater control.

The third option, similar to the second, would be to purchase two ambulances and contract out operation to a third party of medics. Under this path, the ambulances would be owned by Treutlen County, and staffing concerns would be eliminated.

Glenn emphasized that while some options were more expensive than others, all the provided plans would require the county to raise funds. The first and third options would be cheaper up-front, but the second would offer the county more control for the higher price.

“You’ll notice, in every one of these cons, there is a need for more funds,” said Glenn. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to do any of them without a need for more funds.”

County Attorney James Garner also noted the second option would place the county at the highest degree of legal liability.

According to Glenn, the lack of two ambulances in the county results in “major risks” for residents, such as longer response times and an increased strain on local first responders. Glenn also said the issue has caused the county to overuse mutual aid from other counties, resulting in some mutual aid calls being denied.

“The one that bothered me the most is there was one call that was actually denied for mutual aid, until one person on the scene made a personal phone call,” said Glenn. “It took a personal phone call from somebody that was on the scene to get out to that call.”

In the board’s October meeting, Glenn reviewed the three options and asked the commissioners to narrow down the proposed options from three to their preferred two. His own personal recommendations were options one and three, and said the county was not ready to pursue the second option’s required billing, which Garner described as a “nightmare.”

“I’m not saying we couldn’t do that,” said Glenn. “I’m saying we’re not ready. We’re not ready to do that yet. I don’t think it’s what’s the best interest for Treutlen County to do that right now.”

The commissioners agreed with Glenn’s recommendations, with many such as Commissioners Rodney Meeks and Thalia Gillis expressing their own preferences for option one.

“It just gets two ambulances in the county,” said Board Chair Phil Jennings. “I think that’s the ultimate goal that we’re all after anyway, just making sure we have two in the county with the hope of mutual aid that can help if we ever got bombarded.”

No official decision was made regarding the ambulance issue during the meeting.

Glenn also announced the county was ready to hold town hall meetings to discuss issues with residents. Town hall meetings have been suggested by commissioners in past meetings, and Glenn has prepared to host multiple in the month of November.

To coincide with these meetings, the county opened a new email address – myvoice@treutlengov.us – specifically for residents to send issues and concerns. These emails will allow the county government to address issues during town hall meetings and afterward, though the email will not be for town hall topics only.

“This could be for anything,” said Glenn. “This could be for EMS services, economic development, fire department, anything.”

The email will be maintained and monitored after the town hall meetings have concluded, so residents will still be able to send in their concerns via the email.