Residents keen on keeping ambulance despite $

LEBANON - Most Lebanon residents in attendance at Monday's Special Hearing on a ballot question that would eliminate the town's best ambulance seemed to favor retention of the vehicle despite cost concerns brought to light by selectmen.

Right now the Rescue Department maintains two ambulances, a 2004 Ford and a 2010 Chevrolet, which is at the center of the issue as its fifth of six $40,000 lease payments is now due.

Selectmen argue that the department, which must rely on its own funds through an enterprise account, cannot afford the payment and other everyday expenses as it struggles out from enormous debt left by a previous administration.

Lebanon voters rejected a $40,000 Rescue Department subsidy that would have provided funding for the lease payment on the June ballot.

So, with no funding mechanism in place, selectmen crafted a ballot question that will allow the town to "nonappropriate" the lease payment and turn the newer Chevrolet ambulance (Rescue 2) back to the lessee, sort of like a voluntary repossession.

A yes vote on the ballot question will do just that, while a no vote will force selectmen to appropriate money from the town's contingency fund to make the payment.

Most of the discussion at Monday night's meeting boiled down to cost vs. safety.

Rescue Department members showed up en masse to show support for retaining Rescue 2.

Rescue Department Chief Jenny Sheriff spoke passionately about the department's concern that giving up Rescue 2 is a bad idea.

"The newer truck (ambulance) is a better ride," she said. "I'm thinking of our health and welfare."

The 2004 Ford ambulance is still serviceable, but in need of more than $15,000 worth of repairs as is Rescue 2 as well.

Some in the audience said the receipts of the Rescue Department didn't warrant such an expensive piece of equipment and that it was time to "stop the bleeding."

Others, like resident Dick Batchelder felt the new fledgling Rescue Department, which has been saddled with debt from the get-go, should be given a chance to succeed.

"Why pull the rug out from under them," he said.

Not only were concerns made about giving up the newer, better equipped ambulance, but that giving up Rescue 2 would leave the town with just one ambulance just as the severe winter weather is approaching.

Ryan Therrien of the Rescue Department said simultaneous multiple calls are not unusual during the winter months and that having two ambulances provided a layer of redundancy that residents expect and need.

Others in the room pointed out most surrounding towns have two ambulances.

Selectmen, meanwhile, said they were in favor of eliminating Rescue 2 chiefly for economic reasons and they hoped sometime in the future Rescue would be in the black enough to contemplate returning to a two-ambulance department.

As the meeting ended residents seemed overwhelmingly in favor of retaining Rescue 2, but openly worried that town residents would be unaware of the ramifications of the vote when they enter the polling booth on Nov. 4.

The ballot question reads, ""Shall the Town of Lebanon vote to prohibit the Town from performing its obligations under the Lease with Option to Purchase Agreement with All American Investment Group, LLC, dated December 6, 2010 for the 2010 Horton ambulance and from using any moneys to pay the Rental Payments due under said Agreement for the 2014-2015 budget year and all subsequent budget years thereafter?"

A "Yes" vote is recommended by all three selectmen and by the budget committee, 6-0.

Selectmen said there was about $80,000 in the town's contingency fund, which is where the $40,000 lease payment would come from if voters agree to it.

Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson said if that happens a ballot question in June would ask if town residents would vote to appropriate funds for the final lease payment.

Earlier in a separate public hearing residents voiced no concerns over Trains Tavern's application to renew its Special Amusement Permit.