At a special called Grayson County Fiscal Court meeting on Monday afternoon, magistrates unanimously voted to purchase two new ambulances for $125,000 each to be used by Grayson County EMS.
EMS is operated in a joint venture between county government and local businessman and mayoral candidate Kevin Pharis, with the ambulances and equipment being owned by the county.
It has been over a year since Pharis first approached Fiscal Court members about supplying a new ambulance (or ambulances) to Grayson County EMS, due to the age of the ambulances and significantly high odometer readings.
Finally, magistrates have responded.
Pharis told magistrates and Grayson County Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson that of EMS’ six ambulances, “two have blown engines and are not worth fixing,” and one is constantly being repaired because of an electrical issue, leaving only three fully operational ambulances to serve the county.
Those three ambulances have 216,000, 164,000 and 337,000 miles logged on the odometers. Pharis noted that an ambulance recently blew an engine on the Western Kentucky Parkway as it was transporting a patient to a hospital in Louisville; a trip the ambulance service takes many times per day.
“We’ve had no new ambulances since 2008,” Pharis said. “That’s unheard of.” And with the many changes in healthcare and Medicaid regulations over the last decade, EMS purchasing new ambulances is financially impossible.
To bolster his point, Pharis made tax documents available to K105 which show Grayson County EMS earns essentially no profit.
While it would seem ensuring the viability of the ambulances that serve Grayson County residents would be a top priority of county government, Pharis answered several pointed questions from some magistrates, including why he waited until an emergency situation to ask for new ambulances.
Pharis responded that he has requested magistrates and former Judge-Executive Gary Logsdon to consider purchasing new ambulances for EMS on multiple occasions, but those requests were ignored despite the age, condition and odometer readings of the fleet — 18 months ago Pharis paid $11,000 to have a new engine installed in an ambulance, which is only a fraction of what EMS pays to have the antiquated ambulances serviced whenever an issue arises.
Magistrate Harold Johnson snidely told Judge Henderson that he (Henderson) has spoken about saving the county $50,000 in his first or two month in office.
“The Lord giveth, and he’s (pointing at Pharis) taking it,” Johnson said, referring to Pharis’ request for new ambulances (Judge Henderson quickly responded that Johnson had “misquoted” him, saying he saved the county $350,000, not $50,000).
At wits end in dealing with the magistrates, Pharis implored the group, “You have neglected the ambulance service long enough. It’s time you stepped up and did what is your responsibility … You all don’t seem to understand that these people that you’re depriving of getting ambulances are the same people that you’re supposed to represent, the same people you are supposed to protect, the same people that’s going to vote for you or not vote for you … KRS says the county is responsible for providing an ambulance service, not me.”
Showing the breadth of his frustration, Pharis continued, “I risk everything I got every time they get in a truck (ambulance) and go and pick up a patient,” adding that, “You’ve got to quit worrying about votes. You’re responsible for everybody we transport. Would you want to risk everything you own every time an ambulance makes a run?”
A point well taken, and evidently, taken to heart by Fiscal Court.
The contract
The contract that Pharis signed with county government in 1994 expired four years later, with Pharis saying that every time he approached former Judge Logsdon about renewing the contract, the ex-Judge told him “not to worry about it. Nothing’s going to change.”
That contract, according to Pharis, calls for the county to supply ambulances and heavy equipment, with EMS supplying personnel, management, some equipment, supplies, payroll, employee insurance, and retirement.
Judge Henderson said he is drawing up a new contract between the county and EMS. That contract will include a 30 day opt-out clause for both parties (meaning either the county or Pharis can cancel the contract), and stipulate that the county will only pay for ambulances and nothing else.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
