Interlocal EMS agreement finalized at Special Meeting

After two regular meetings and a special meeting, called by Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell, the Alexander City Council has approved an Interlocal Agreement that will provide uniform Emergency Medical Services (EMS) throughout Saline County in both the rural areas and municipalities. The special meeting was held Monday evening, April 26 and lasted about 15 minutes.

The agreement was approved by the use of an ordinance. Ordinances are required to have three public readings at three separate meetings. To override the required second and third readings it takes two-thirds of a city council to approve. It also takes a two-thirds vote to pass an “Emergency Clause” which allows an ordinance to take effect immediately. For Alexander that’s six council members.

The ordinance had its first reading at the March 15 council meeting when only four council members were present, allowing Mitchell to serve as the fifth member to make the needed quorum of five. At the April 19 meeting five council members did attend. The mayor, however, is not permitted to serve as the sixth vote.

Six council members were able to attend the April 26 meeting. Since Alexander was the last municipality to approve the agreement, Mitchell took the signed ordinance to the Saline County Quorum Court Tuesday.

The Interlocal Agreement will allow Alexander to join other Saline County cities and the unincorporated areas of the county to contract with one EMS provider. Other cities to be involved are Bauxite, Benton, Bryant, Haskell, Shannon Hills, and Traskwood. As stated in the ordinance the,”[P]urpose is to ensure that there is increased consistency, transparency, and accountability with the emergency medical services … provider for the citizens of Saline County.”

According to the agreement the next step is to form an EMS governing board. The board, “[W]ill be responsible for issuing a competitive solicitation for EMS services and assuring that the terms of any EMS franchise agreement are complied with,” the agreement states. The board will be made up of representatives from the county and municipalities.

UPDATE:
04/28/21
On Tuesday (April 27) Mayor Paul Mitchell attended first meeting of the EMS Governing Board. He asked whether this contract would also cover the Pulaski County portion of Alexander. The response to him was since the Pulaski County contract with MEMS covers the portion of Alexander in Pulaski County the Saline County contract will only cover the Saline County portion of Alexander.