Ambulance service issue dominates Mountain Park town meeting again

The Town of Mountain Park held their August regular meeting Monday night, attended by Mayor Adam Ney and board members Anita Shelton and Merrill Archambault.

The minutes of the July 12 regular meeting, July Treasurer’s Report, and July/August encumbrances were approved as presented.

In response to the notice of November termination of ambulance services, the trustees voted to authorize Mayor Ney to participate in negotiating a possible resolution agreement in the contract for ambulance service existing between Kiowa County District 3 and Jackson County EMS. Any possible resolution would be brought back to the Board of Trustees for Mountain Park for review and/or approval. Everyone expressed the hope that the other towns will be involved.

As previously reported, the written notice of termination of the contract for ambulance services to KCD3 was delivered in the July meeting of the KCD3 ambulance board by a representative of Jackson County Emergency Medical Service.

Mountain Park’s attorney, Michael Beason, expressed his belief that the contract may not allow for termination prior to the end of the term. He brought paperwork with the lawsuit he could file if nothing can be worked out with JCEMS. It contains the background of the contract between KCD3, made up by the towns of Mountain Park, Snyder and Roosevelt, for the delivery of ambulance services. The existing contract automatically renews each year to track with the normal fiscal year, July 1 to June 30 of each year. It requires payment to JCEMS of sales tax collected and received by Mountain Park, Snyder and Roosevelt for ambulance services to be delivered by JCEMS to the citizens of these towns. It also allows for termination without cause with notice to be provided by December 1st and performance to be terminated at the end of the contract term (June 3) for that year.

In the matter of property last owned by Zeffie Ham, who is deceased, City Clerk Kelly Harmon was authorized to have a notice of violation published so the town can go forward with mowing the overgrown lots, sending the bill to any representative of his estate.

Archambault had the mayor’s spending limit increase put on the agenda. He said it needs to be higher since the price of things has gotten so extremely high and suggested they increase it to $1,500. The board agreed.

Public Works Authority

The trustees convened as the public works authority, and the board approved action on the July minutes, treasurer’s report, encumbrances, and purchase orders.

They also approved the mayor’s spending limit increase and voted to approve Harmon’s accrued vacation pay for 42.5 hours.