Ambulance fees give budget new life

Franklin - Faced with a reduced EMS subsidy from Milwaukee County, the city will raise ambulance fees to help defray the difference.

Fees for residents will increase from $450 to $525, and nonresident fees will go up from $550 to $750.

Fire Chief Jim Martins had proposed raising both fees by $100 each as, based on past years, that would net the department an additional $25,000. He said in 2009, the department transported 69 nonresidents and 218 residents.

But Alderman Steve Olson suggested an alternative: "Let the nonresident pay a little more and ding our residents a little less."

Martins said the fees have not been increased since 2008, and that he tries to keep fees competitive with surrounding municipalities.

"What we've tried to do is keep the fees somewhat in line with other communities in Milwaukee County," he said. "We have been on the low end in the past. This puts us near the high end, but we're not the most expensive."

He said the increase was necessary this year because of the unanticipated cut in the subsidy, well after Franklin's budget was prepared. Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele's budget called for a $3 million subsidy reduction, but the final budget bill reduced what the county pays suburban units to $1.5 million instead.

Martins said that means the Franklin Fire Department will receive $125,000 from the county, rather than the $250,000 the city received in previous contract years.

The higher ambulance fees, he said, won't absorb the lost revenue. "It won't even come close," he said.

But it's an attempt to maintain current levels of service as revenue streams dry up. The city has 30 firefighters; 10 of them are EMTs, who can provide basic life care, and 20 are paramedics, who have more advanced training.

Martins is part of a work group that is looking at a more encompassing way to reduce the Fire Department's cost: consolidating fire departments - and EMS providers - in the area.

The Public Policy Forum proposed in September that the work group be formed to consider whether the five fire departments of Greenfield, Greendale, Hales Corners, Franklin and Oak Creek share services.

Rob Henken, president of the Milwaukee-based forum, said the work group has been meeting since December and will collect data on how services might be shared and expenses lowered, much like they are in the North Shore suburbs. The forum's proposal said that since the North Shore Fire Department was created in 1995, response times improved and administrative overhead was reduced.

"This was not driven by a decision the county made," Henken said. "We are looking at a larger question or sharing or consolidating fire department services."

The forum is expected to complete its study and make recommendations in spring; the cost of the study is $7,500, with each of the five municipalities included paying an equal amount of $1,500.

Martins said that the five departments have mutual aid agreements in place. "We do share a lot already," he said.

But the study by an independent organization will take a more focused look on sharing maintenance costs and dispatch, and see if costs-savings would result.

"I think it's a good idea to look at it," he said. "It has been looked at before, but now we'll have a document. If it makes sense to do that, we'll move forward."