NORWICH – Since Superior Ambulance pulled out of Chenango County, the City of Norwich Common Council has been discussing the number of runs their ambulances make outside of the city’s contracted service area and how fair this is to taxpayers.
On Tuesday, they discussed one possibility that might provide a solution for everyone involved. Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo told the members of the Finance/Personnel Committee that the city could choose to charge a non-residential ambulance fee for responding to outside calls.
City ambulances are often called to areas outside of their response area, and in recent months, council members have said it is unfair for city taxpayers to foot-the-bill for the ambulance service when non-city residents can get the same services at no additional cost. The non-residential surcharge would apply to residents in Chenango County who do not reside in the City of Norwich or any of the towns that contract with the city for fire protection.
“This wouldn’t be a lot of revenue, but it would help. People living here have to pay for these services, others should pay as well,” Chawgo said.
The non-residential surcharge would be approximately $100 for basic life support and $150 for advanced life support. It could be billed to health insurance or motor vehicle insurance in the case of a motor vehicle accident.
Sixth Ward Alderman Robert Jeffrey said he thinks the surcharge is a good idea, especially with gas prices rising to $4 a gallon. “If we have three ambulances, and one is on a call in the city, and another is in the Town of North Norwich (a contracted service area) and another is called to Sherburne or New Berlin, we’re paying overtime... This is an issue that the county or the towns need to shoulder, not the City of Norwich,” Jeffrey said.
The Common Council will discuss the potential surcharge at their June meeting.