The Wheatland and Randall Town boards will host a joint public informational meeting with private emergency medical services provider Ambulnz By Docgo Tuesday at Wheatland Town Hall in New Munster.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
The agenda for the meeting says there will be time for public comments before the presentation by Ambulnz By Docgo representatives. Board members will be able to ask follow-up questions after the presentation.
In the past, both Wheatland and Randall have contracted for EMS service from Twin Lakes Rescue.
For 2024, those services cost $70,000 for each town.
Starting last summer, Randall, Wheatland and Twin Lakes and TLFR began exploring how to fund 24/7 station coverage for EMS out of the Twin Lakes station. There were some joint meetings and a $900,000 to $1 million cost estimated. Eventually a cost of $900,000 divided with Twin Lakes paying 50 percent and the towns each paying 25 percent was established. The plan then was for each municipality to hold a referendum in April to approve the needed funding. That timeline broke down over ironing out some details about who the new EMTs would work for and other details. The referendum target was switched to August. The Twin Lakes Village Board agreed informally to go ahead with an August referendum at a committee of the whole meeting last week.
More recently, TLFR submitted contracts to Randall and Wheatland with an approval deadline for April 15. The deadline was driven, TLR Chief Ron Redlin said, by the timeline for an August referendum.
Both towns also had begun seeking other possibilities, such as private companies, for EMS service.
On Aug. 29, TLR officials gave a presentation at a similar joint meeting. Redlin said he wanted to renew talks with the towns and the April 15 deadline for contract approval was no longer in effect.
At that same meeting, Wheatland town Chairman Brett Butler said Ambulnz By Docgo was also available to give a presentation, which resulted in the meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
