Correction

In last week's issue, in an article entitled "Decatur council approves ambulance contract with Gravette," it was reported that, "according to the May and June council minutes and several council members, no contract was ever approved; nor was the $30,000 payment for which Gravette asked. The city of Decatur did make a payment of $15,000 to help the Gravette Fire Department recover some of its cost, but that was as far as the matter went. According to Tharp, there was never any invoice for payment sent to Decatur for these services."

Gravette's finance manager, Carl Rabey, says otherwise. He submitted to the Eagle Observer a copy of a February invoice the city of Gravette sent to Decatur. The February 13 letter from Rabey addressed to Decatur Mayor Bob Tharp states: "This letter serves as an invoice for the Annual 2017 Gravette Ambulance Service Billing. Please remit the amount of $30,000.00 upon receipt of this invoice."

According to Rabey, there was, in the beginning of 2017, "a communication via a letter on Gravette letterhead informing the Mayor as to the amount due for the calendar year 2017 and Decatur did indeed pay one half of the annual amount due based upon this communication. It was not until just recently that the mayor requested a formal invoice be sent because the auditors requested a formal invoice for their records. Upon his request, we did comply and send the mayor a request for payment in what one would consider invoice form."

A contract for the inter-municipal emergency medical services was ultimately reached and approved by the Decatur council during the Dec. 11 meeting, with Decatur agreeing to pay Gravette $30,000 for 2017 ambulance service.