Ambulance purchase OK'd Sunday

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

— In a special meeting Sunday afternoon, the Gravette City Council okayed the purchase of two ambulance units to replace the city’s two units which are requiring increasing maintenance costs.

The council action came after a trip Saturday by Mayor Byron Warren and council member Jimmy Denver to New Lenox, Ill., to examine two vehicles that community is replacing.

The two city officials were flown to the Chicago suburb courtesy of fellow council member John Rambadt and R & R Solutions. Rambadt did not make the trip but sent R & R mechanic Tyler Bates to help in evaluating the two vehicles, Warren said.

The two diesel International vehicles, equipped with road rescue boxes, were priced at $12,000 each and will be bought with non-budgeted funds, including a $10,000 grant the city received last year. The city also recently received a $22,000 check from Benton County to assist in operation of Gravette’s ambulance service.

The special 1 p.m. meeting Sunday resulted in a 5-0 approval to purchase the vehicles. Council member/former mayor Bill Howard was unable to attend because he is hospitalized with a heart condition.

At its most recent meeting, the council had taken no action on purchase of one new ambulance after Rambadt urged the city not to obligate itself for the expected $120,000 indebtedness.

Gravette’s present 1994 and 2000 gasoline ambulances were purchased used almost 10 years ago. Their repair costs have escalated during recent months.

Equipment from the present ambulances will be transferred to the 1999 and 2000 diesel rigs which are expected to have a longer life of service than the ambulance units in current use.

The currently used vehicles will be offered for sale, Warren said.

News, Pages 1 on 05/11/2011