COLUMBUS – The civil court case between Columbus Councilman Bruce Vermeulen and Supervisor Thomas Grace was resolved at the June 14 board meeting, at which point a resolution was passed 3-2 approving a contract between Columbus the Unadilla Valley Ambulance Corp.
The contract was subsequently signed by Councilman Kavin Winton following another resolution granting Winton authority to sign on behalf of the town board if the supervisor refused to do so.
Grace said his decision to not sign the contract was due to “a conflict of interest” among members of the town board as well as an “initial lack of information in the contract between the town and UVAC.”
Grace has filed a counter-claim to the action taken by Vermeulen at the beginning of June, stating that the board is working “to start their own ambulance company rather than find effective and affordable ambulance coverage for our town.”
Three resolutions have been filed, one at each of the last three board meetings, for a contract to be made with UVAC.
The most recent resolution passed included an additional clause which states that the Village of Sherburne Ambulance Service will continue to cover western parts of the town as they have done in the past.
Previously, the New Berlin Ambulance Service offered primary coverage of Columbus.
A mutual aid agreement with Chenango County was also signed at the June 14 meeting, which finalized the town’s Certificate of Need for ambulance coverage.
A resolution was also passed at the meeting for Albany attorney Terrence Hannigan to act as town attorney for emergency, medical and ambulance services through June 14, 2013. His services will cost an additional $275 an hour to the town.
Vermeulen said he was satisfied with the outcome, but wished it had come sooner.
“It’s gone on way too long. Now hopefully we can move ahead and our board and town can pull back together,” he said. “It’s time to move ahead.”
A date has not been set for Grace’s counter-claim to the previous action taken by Vermeulen on behalf of the town.