The Silver Lake Village board will consider a 90-day extension of is contract with Silver Lake Rescue Squad Inc. at the board’s next meeting this Wednesday, Jan. 2.
The agenda for the meeting posted Dec. 28 includes the following agenda item: “Discuss/Possible Action to Extend SLRS services for 90 days to provide EMS service to the Village of Silver Lake.”
Silver Lake has been considering discontinuing its long-standing contract with Silver Lake Rescue Inc. in favor of an arrangement with Salem Fire/Rescue for EMS with Silver Lake Fire Department firefighters acting as first responders on medical calls. Silver Lake Rescue is a free standing entity while the Silver Lake Fire Department is part of the village government. The village has been paying Silver Lake Rescue $27,000 a year for its services. In theory, the agreement with Salem could let Silver Lake keep the $27,000 it now pays to Silver Lake Rescue to bolster fire department funds. Under the proposed agreement with Salem, Salem would not charge the village a fee, but would be able to bill patients in Silver Lake for services. Salem officials estimate they could take in $15,000-$30,000 in annual revenue under the agreement. The agreement with Salem Fire/Rescue was voted down Dec. 12 at a special Village Board meeting after extensive discussion.
Meanwhile, Silver Lake Rescue submitted a new proposal last last week that significantly reduces the retainer fee paid compared to recent years. Rescue officials hope the new terms and two-year time frame will give the village’s Silver Lake Fire Department and the rescue squad, a free-standing corporation, time to work out a mutually beneficial future, said Dan Gerber, Silver Lakes Rescue Squad Inc., president.
Village President Jeff Albrecht said last week the issue of rescue services was headed back to committee for more consideration.
The current contract with Silver Lake Rescue expires Dec. 31 but Gerber has said the squad will continue to provide service without interruption until the issue is settled.
Lets just say Salem does take over..They won’t charge the village, instead they will just bill the patients. Does that mean taxes will then come down? I was always under the impression we were taxed for necessary services, such as rescue and other emergency services.