Anonymous7:08 PM

i think you guys are looking at the ambulance the wrong way . with lack of firefighters these days to respond to calls during the day having an ambulance is putting firefighters in the station to also respond to fire calls ! your making money to help with the cost of firefighters ! sooner than later there will be no call firefighters due to the comment it takes to become a firefighter and these guys are doing there training at very little cost to the town ! dont expect that in the near future ! time away from your family these days guys need to be paid!!!

very true anon, the days of true volunteers are over, it is now about the money - "guys need to get paid" So I think you will find advisory committee looking at this from a money stand point; taxpayer dollars and how much is available for these services as well as how long can it go without some sort of change. Not sure if you are aware of this, but every now and then, uncollectable ambulance charges are written off. I believe the town of Ashburnham just did that - from the Gardner News. Are you wiling and able to pay more in taxes for these services? 

It has already been stated that the plan in place is not working, do you have an alternate plan? If so, please come forward and present it, I am sure any suggestions would be welcome.

from the budget book fiscal 2018 - $387,500.00 for personnel was allocated for the fire department with $72,000.00 listed for the chief salary. Employee support list at $32,500.00. Purchase of services list at $56,000.00. Fire supplies list at $23,000.00. Fire/EMS other list at $70,000.00. This comes to $569,000.00 (from the alocated summary from town accountant) 

from the special town meeting of November 2011:

Article 8 To see if the Town will vote to create a Fire Department-Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account where collected ambulance receipts for services are placed beginning with FY2013. Monies out of this fund are expended only through town meeting vote for the purpose of funding various Fire Department capital requests pursuant to the betterment of the Fire Department services as deemed by the Templeton Fire Chief. Submitted by the Templeton Fire Chief 

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to create a Fire/Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account where collected ambulance receipts for services are placed beginning with fiscal year 2013. 

Passed Unanimously/Nov. 7th @ 8:00 

from the annual Town Meeting of May 2013: 

 Article 10 To see if the town will vote to appropriate a sum of money from the Fire Department/Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account, or to otherwise raise and appropriate a sum of money to fund Ambulance Department operations, with any unexpended balances in the reserve account to be carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year, or to take any other action relative thereto. 

Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 

On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that One Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars ($160,000.00) be hereby appropriated from the Ambulance Department Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account to be spent by the Fire Chief to pay for the operation of the Ambulance Service within the Fire Department, with any unexpended balances in said reserve account at year end to be carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year.

 Passed/May 14th @ 8:09 

Article 11 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum of money to hire two (2) full-time equivalent firefighter/EMTs to work daytime coverage 48 hours per week (Monday-Friday), or to take any other action relative thereto. 

Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 

Chief Laporte was allowed to speak. 

On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that One Hundred Twenty Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Twelve Dollars ($128,812.00) be hereby appropriated from the FY 14 tax levy and other general revenues of the town to be expended by the Fire Chief to add two daytime full time equivalent firefighter/EMTs to the staffing of the Templeton Fire Department.

 Passed/May 14th @ 8:26